For family
by Nanuk888
Summary: What if Vader, wanting to be with his son again, had taken a very different approach after Luke escapes him at Bespin? How far would he go to regain what he has lost? COMPLETE
1. The epiphany

**Summary:** What if Vader, wanting to be with his son again, had taken a very different approach after Luke escapes him at Bespin? How far would he go to regain what he has lost?

**Disclaimer:** I'm not George Lucas!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 1. The epiphany**

In the blink of an eye, the _Falcon_ soared away into hyperspace and vanished from the vast viewport of the _Executor_.

There was a terrified silence on the bridge. Not a single person moved and even the massive engines of the Super Star Destroyer seemed muted. Vader was aware of Piett staring at him with wide eyes, sure that those invisible fingers would squeeze his windpipe at any moment.

Vader, too, was certain that he would. His son was gone, far from his side as was the boy's rightful place. Piett's failure had cost him the capture of his son! He reached –

But the Force withdrew from his grasp, slithering away through his mental fingers. Surprised, he sought his rage, that murderous mantle that brought comfort in its darkness, the key to the powerful Dark Side. But again he was taken aback as he found his habitual anger shockingly absent. Instead, all he found was something unfamiliar, something that _hurt_. He couldn't understand it at all.

Unable to respond in the only way he knew how, he turned away from the viewport. He couldn't help himself, however, as he paused and glanced back once more. It was as if some part of him couldn't quite believe that his son had really disappeared, that the search had to begin all over again. But the stars simply twinkled at him from the blackness of space, mockingly absent of that disc-shaped ship containing his precious son.

Precious? Since when did Sith Lords use such words? It was most unbecoming, and together with this wholly uncharacteristic absence of anger, it was most perplexing. Whatever had come over him it was clear that he needed time and privacy to decipher. Clasping his hands behind his back, Vader walked off the bridge and headed for his quarters.

* * *

His eyes remained closed as the metal claws closed over his mask and lifted the pieces away. The cool air in the hyperbaric chamber whispered across his skin but he barely felt it on the thick scar tissue marring his head.

All Vader could think about was his son. Blond, as he himself had once been in his previous lifetime, with the same bright blue eyes. He recalled those blue eyes amidst the vapour and fiery glow of the carbon freezing chamber, bravely holding his gaze with determination and carefully controlled fear. He felt a twinge of pain. Frowning, he checked the heart monitor on his right – everything seemed normal. He closed his eyes again and refocused on his son's face – only to feel that ache yet again.

He ignored it this time and continued on with his thoughts. His son's grasp of the Force was impressive, not bad at all for someone with so little training. Under his father's teaching Luke would become a formidable Sith, perhaps even more powerful than he himself had been before his doomed duel with Obi-Wan. It passed his notice that the thought of his former master for once didn't stir up murderous contemplations. Instead, his heart swelled with pride and the scars on his face stretched as he grinned. Sidious would be no match for the two of them.

Thoughts of his current master, however, didn't fail to turn his mood dark as had invariably been the case recently. It hadn't taken him long after he had discovered the identity of the rebel pilot who had blown up the Death Star to realise that Sidious had lied to him. The existence of a son was proof that he had not killed his beloved wife. Padmé had still been alive after the duel and Obi-Wan must have taken her somewhere to give birth to his son. How she died afterwards was a mystery, but he knew that the body entombed on Naboo was most definitely the body of his wife. His best agents had double checked, triple checked, on his insistence, and then he had checked himself. Twice.

After all this time, he still couldn't think of Padmé without a painful ache deep in his heart. He had spent countless agonising hours thinking of her and of that ill-fated day on Mustafar. When she had arrived on that landing platform he could perceive only his blinkered view of his fledgling steps in the Dark Side and had been unable to see that she was telling the truth. Much later, and much too late, when he had calmed enough to think clearly, he had arrived at the heart-wrenching realisation that she hadn't knowingly brought Obi-Wan to him. He _knew_ Padmé. He knew the depth of her loyalty to him, of her unswerving love. And he knew that once Obi-Wan had discovered this, the Jedi would have utilised this to find him without her knowledge. In the ensuing years his remorse and self-loathing in believing that he had killed his innocent wife and child had driven him further to the Dark Side and ensured his subservience to the only mentor left to him.

What followed were nineteen miserable, lonely years of servitude. And that, after having left his beloved mother on Tatooine all those years ago in order to escape slavery – that thought alone was unbearable. But then to discover that it had all been for a lie...

His blinding, all consuming fury at the realisation that Sidious had lied to him had left him standing in the middle of a whole city decimated to the ground, with only vague recollections of his blood red lightsaber and the Force billowing like a violent storm to explain to how he had got there. Even the stormtroopers of his 501st legion who were accustomed to his dark moods had been trembling visibly as he boarded the shuttle to return to the Destroyer.

Vader could feel his rage building and took a deep breath to calm himself. He was not here to muse yet again on how much he despised the Emperor. He consciously turned his thoughts back to his son, on how he had been carefully concealing his burning hatred from his master as he searched and plotted to bring his son to his side where he belonged. After three, long, fruitless years of chasing, the intel from Boba Fett regarding the Princess and smuggler heading to Bespin had been a rare stroke of luck. But that plot, too, had now failed.

He had never intended to maim his son. He had only meant to show his superiority in a duel and thus how much he could offer the boy. But at some point the Dark Side had taken over, fuelled the fight into something more serious. And Luke – Force be with him – the boy had responded in kind, matching his increasing ferocity with a focused calm that Obi-Wan would have been proud of had the Jedi been permissive of such feelings. Then, after recovering from the fall off the ledge, his son had sought Vader out and continued to fight, meeting blow for blow. Until that moment when he failed to block.

Vader closed his eyes again but he couldn't stop the memory. He could still remember the brief moment of sickening resistance as his lightsaber cut through the boy's arm. The memory of Luke's agonised cry pierced his heart as if it was happening all over again. To make matters worse, he had forged ahead in true Sith-like manner and demanded that his son join him. He had given no comfort as Luke clung to the narrow gantry platform, in great pain, exhausted and no doubt afraid. No wonder the boy had rejected him.

No wonder – but nonetheless, it _hurt_. Only then, in his quiet solitude, did he recognise it as the same pain he had felt when Padmé had refused to attempt to rule the galaxy with him back on Mustafar. His love for her was such that her rejection cut deeper than any blow dealt by Obi-Wan in the ensuing duel. And now his son's rejection caused the same anguish. In one startling moment, he suddenly recognised the long forgotten feeling coursing through him.

He loved his son.

It was a surprising, eye-opening realisation for a Sith Lord who had long believed himself incapable of such feelings. The agonising ache, the remorse, the guilt – it was all because of his love for his son. For Padmé's son.

And with that one thought his eyes were opened. He desperately wanted to turn back time, to meet Luke anew on Bespin and re-shape their first encounter. What he wouldn't give to have his son not regard him in fear! He wanted to be a father to the boy, not a Sith Lord claiming him as a possession or a tool. The thought that he had almost succeeded in delivering his precious son to Sidious sent a shudder through him and he felt a surge of relief that the boy had escaped. He wanted to guide and watch over him, to pass on all he had learned so that his son wouldn't make the same mistakes he had. He wanted Luke by his side for no other reason than to be with him and provide all that the boy might want from him. He wanted to make the same offer that his wife had made to him all those years ago on Mustafar, to go away together and leave everything behind. To simply be a family.

Damn the Empire. And damn the Dark Side.

He was over twenty years too late to make amends with Padmé, but by the Force he would do right by his son!

* * *

"Admiral."

Piett started uncharacteristically as Vader's voice rumbled from his comlink. He was usually the picture of military efficiency and stoic composure, but he was somewhat jumpy from expecting his execution at any moment due to the earlier escape of the rebel ship.

"Yes, Lord Vader," he replied with a level tone imposed with a great exertion of will.

"Move the ship to rejoin the rest of the fleet then proceed to refuel at Bannistar."

"Yes, my lord." The line went dead, and Piett stared at his comlink for a second as if to see if Vader would return and pronounce his death. When nothing was forthcoming he took one deep breath, tucked his comlink away, straightened his jacket, turned to the bridge offers and calmly started dispatching orders.


	2. Friend or foe?

Thank you to the kind people who reviewed! I really appreciated reading your comments and I'm glad you liked the first chapter!

Now, on with the story...

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** I'm not George Lucas.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 2. Friend or foe? **

"Woo hoo!"

The four X-wings soared gracefully into the hangar, their exterior appearance resembling a patchwork of junkyard scrap metal belying the power and agility of the engines within.

The ships powered down one by one and the cockpit canopies yawned open. Wes immediately leapt out onto the wing of his ship with a wide grin splitting his face and punched the air with a jubilant fist. "Rogue Squadron strikes again!"

"Good job, boys!" congratulated Luke as he hoisted himself out of his own cockpit somewhat more sedately and started climbing down the ladder.

"Yes, well done," came a female voice. "That was exceptional!"

"Why, thank you, your Highness," Wes said. He remained on his X-wing, high on exuberance, but Wedge and Tycho hurried down to the hangar floor in respect to meet her.

The Princess greeted those of the Rogue squadron who had landed in the Southern hangar with a beaming smile. "The cargo ships arrived earlier with almost the entire bulk of arsenal from the Imperial stockpile. Your cover was commendable, drawing off the pursuing TIE fighters and ensuring the transports could jump to hyperspace. You did very well indeed."

"Bah, the Imps didn't stand a chance," Wes said casually, finally sliding down to the floor. "Like stealing candy from a baby!"

"All right boys," Luke called as he came around towards them from behind his X-wing. "Go freshen up and have a rest, you've earned it. Debriefing's in two hours."

"Thanks, boss," Wedge acknowledged as he sauntered away, ushering Wes and Tycho with him.

As soon as the others had left, the bright "Princess" persona fell away from Leia like a mask. As Luke turned to her, he saw the anxious look on her face. She gave him a wan smile and looked deep into his eyes. Luke felt as if she was making sure that he had really returned safe and sound, that she hadn't lost him too. It had been the same after every mission since Bespin. She rested a small hand on his arm, squeezed it for reassurance.

"Come on," she said and started heading towards the hangar doors. "You're needed in the Command Center." She glanced at his orange jumpsuit. "Did you want to change first?"

"Do I have time?" The implied question was, _Is it urgent?_ In their line of work "urgent" was never a good word, and it was never a word they used unless it applied.

"I'm not sure. But it might be best if you do."

So it was his other role, the Jedi Skywalker, that they wanted. When not in his pilot's jumpsuit Luke had taken to wearing a dark version of the Jedi robes, with tighter-fitting sleeves and trousers as was his preference for increased mobility. It made him feel more the part.

"I'll be right there," he said as they parted.

* * *

"Did you see? That was _Luke Skywalker_ –"  
"– the _Jedi_ –"  
"– faced _Vader_ –"

Luke almost cringed as the hushed, awed conversation of some new recruits reached his ears. He feigned ignorance and continued to traverse the damp corridors hewn out of the red-orange clay accommodating their latest rebel headquarters, careful to step on the coarse matting that provided grip on the wet, slippery surface.

At least it had become more of a rare occurrence to overhear such whispers now, with the more seasoned members of the Alliance having ceased speculating about him a few weeks after Bespin. The first month had been the worst. Having never quite adjusted to becoming a household name after the Battle of Yavin, he was only the more uncomfortable since Bespin when his celebrity status had rocketed into something closer to a legend. _The only one to have survived a duel against the Dark Lord himself_, it was said. Oh, how little they knew! He had barely survived, and Force knew the encounter had left him reeling – so much so that now, three months on, there were moments when all the meditations and distractions in the galaxy couldn't stem the overwhelming tide of grief. And longing...

He did not want to go there. He abruptly launched his thoughts into a Jedi calming exercise.

The technique had proven most useful in the last few months. Outwardly he utilised the benevolent demeanour of his Jedi training which seemed to convince the majority of them that he was, as he insisted, just the same old Luke.

Only Leia, who knew him as she did, could tell that something had happened with Vader other than what he had reported in his debriefing. She saw beyond the obviously missing right hand, and appeared more uneasy about catching him lost in his thoughts as he absent-mindedly rubbed his wrist where it met the prosthetic replacement. On such occasions when his inner turmoil seeped through his calm exterior, he had felt her concern as she picked up on his despondency, his sad state of mind that had occasionally even bordered on despair. He speculated idly at these times whether she wasn't Force sensitive.

Leia being Leia, however, didn't press him. She simply let him know that she was there. Before he had left on the latest mission, for instance, she had come to his room with a steaming mug of Jeru tea in each hand and some datachips shoved in her pockets. "I wanted some company," she had merely said by way of explanation, then deposited the drinks on the table, picked up his datachip reader, and started scanning through her chips.

But he also knew that her excuse wasn't entirely untrue. Luke could feel through the Force that the distinctive spark that was so characteristic of her was missing. She still performed her duties with her usual steadfast dedication, pulling her weight alongside the other top brass in directing operations, scrutinising intelligence reports and boosting morale. She also never shied away from buckling down as one of the troops for gruelling fitness and weapons training. But the lines on her face were strained and her smile failed to quite reach her eyes – those warm, chocolatey eyes he remembered so well were now somehow muted, dull. The signs were subtle and carefully hidden to be sure, but he could see them beneath her senatorial mask.

They needed to find Han. He had learned from Chewie and Artoo of their brief kiss in the carbon freezing chamber before he had arrived. Before Vader… Again, Luke firmly shoved those thoughts aside before they took hold.

They would find Han and his two closest friends could be together again. There wasn't a shred of jealousy as he would have felt three years ago when he had first met them. His love for Leia had firmly become what he might have felt for a sister, had he had one. He was happy for them, plain and simple. They just needed to get Han back.

As he arrived at the double blast doors of the Command Center he offered up a silent, wholly un-Jedi-like prayer that they would find his friend soon, and entered.

* * *

The large room was a motley array of advanced scanning equipment, communication consoles, instrument panels, and various holo-images tracking Imperial fleet movement. Some back-up power generators and life-support systems presided in the back corners. Technicians milled around the various equipment, their frequent calls to each other merging with the general background hubbub of machinery.

"Commander Skywalker." General Rieekan waved him over from a narrow doorway on his left.

It led to a small adjoining room, furnished simply with an oval table and six chairs. Mothma and Leia occupied two of them. Rieekan joined them and waved at another chair. "Have a seat."

"Sir," Luke acknowledged. He stepped fully into the room and the door slid shut behind him, silencing the noise from the main Command room. As he sat down he noticed the frown on Leia's face, she alone looking troubled rather than thoughtful.

"Thank you for coming so quickly after your mission," Mon said in her habitually calm voice. "Princess Leia reports that it was a complete success."

Luke nodded and brushed the comment aside, knowing they hadn't summoned him to exchange pleasantries. "We will give you full details in the debriefing later."

And true enough, the Alliance Commander in Chief came straight to the point. "We have been studying some recent events and would value your opinion." She gave him a meaningful look. "As a Jedi."

He opened his mouth but Mon interrupted, anticipating what he was about to say. "We understand that you are not yet a full Jedi Knight, Commander. However, we still appreciate that you have a considerable affinity with the Force and as such you may be able to shed a unique perspective on the matter."

"I will do what I can," Luke consented.

Mon nodded her thanks. "You are aware that we have received numerous sizeable donations in the last two months," she began.

Indeed he was fully aware. Two months ago, an anonymous credit transfer had been made into a trade business account which covertly fronted for the rebellion, of the considerable value of ten million credits. This only turned out to be the beginning of a whole stream of donations, varying between twenty-five and fifty million credits. Even had it not been for Leia filling him in, rumours had spread like wildfire that the previously cash-strapped rebellion might rapidly be becoming rather well-off.

"The current total to date is six point four billion credits."

Luke blinked. It took a while for the figure to sink in, and when it did, he forgot to breathe.

Rieekan shifted in his seat. "Our decoder has been able to pick out the sponsor names in some of the encrypted data," he said. "There commonly appears to be one of two names, Aifu La'ok and Daveem Eabar, but it's clearly the same person using different aliases – all donations have been made within this two-month window but what is more telling is that they follow the same pattern. We've been able to trace the transfers as far as a small branch of the Imperial Bank on Corellia, but there the trail splits into multiple directions, all of which lead precisely nowhere. Whoever our affluent new supporter is, they know how not to be found."

"The donations," Mon continued, "are unusual but not a cause for investigation in themselves. We have never demanded benefactors who wish to remain anonymous to identify themselves. However, there is something else that is rather –" She paused, looking for the right word.

"Curious," Rieekan supplied.

She nodded. "Curious. In the last two months, there has been an influx of various people pledging their support. General," she prompted. Rieekan pressed some buttons and a holographic list materialised above the table. As Luke scanned the display, his eyes widened.

There must have been almost thirty different species, the most notable groups being the hundreds of Mon Calamari who had managed to escape the Empire's enslavement, the last of the few remaining Caamasi after their homeworld's environment had been destroyed, and many Ghormans enraged at Grand Moff Tarkin's perpetration of the Ghorman Massacre and his subsequent promotion. Each had suffered injustice or persecution at the Empire's hands and they all had cause to support the rebellion, but for them all to suddenly join the Alliance at the same time... He could feel the Force stirring, drawing his attention. Something was happening here.

"What is more significant, however, is what many of the leaders have said. They all report something in common." Mon looked slightly concerned now. "They have all been in touch with an individual calling himself Varykino."

The Force swirled, gathering and focused. Varykino. He was sure that he had never heard the name before but it seemed to jump out at him.

"They all report," Mon continued, "that this person made discrete contact, always through secure audio-only transmissions, and provided instructions on how to make contact with us. It is clear that this Varykino has an in-depth knowledge of these people and their history, the transgressions they have suffered at the hands of the Empire, and how they can contribute to the rebellion."

"You're saying," Luke said slowly, "that somebody is recruiting for us."

"That is how it appears," Mon agreed.

There was a brief silence before Rieekan continued, "And now we've received this." He pressed some buttons and the holo-display changed into a document.

They were ship ownership deeds. Ten EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates, with their complete array of armaments, brand new off the production line. Highly efficient against fighters and bombers, the rebellion had managed to acquire three of them in successful but costly confrontations. One was currently in use as a medical frigate, which Luke remembered visiting all too well only three months ago.

Leia spoke up for the first time. "Before you ask, the answer is No. There have been no reports of raids on the Kuat Drive Yards and our agent inside also reports nothing out of the ordinary. We even had some scouts make discrete passes to check, and everything looks to be in order."

Luke's agitated Force senses erupted into a full-blown storm and an icy chill shot through him.

"We were given coordinates of where to find them," Rieekan said, oblivious of Luke's reaction. He switched the holo-display again, this time showing the scans of one of the ships. "They were indeed there, roughly between Arbra, Zhar and Naboo. Our scouts kept their distance but as far as their scans could determine, the ships are free of any tracking or detonation devices." He paused. "To all appearances they're just gifts waiting to be picked up."

But Luke was barely listening. Credits. Systems. Warships. The connection in his mind was crystal clear. He knew, he just _knew_, that this same Varykino was behind it all.

If it had only been a matter of ostentatious donations and recruiting systems to their cause then they could have been explained away by a trillionaire who was disgruntled with the Empire. But ten capital warships was another matter entirely. What froze the blood in his veins was the fact that, if the ships hadn't been stolen, they could only have been obtained legitimately for the Imperial Navy.

And to first acquire, and then "lose", _ten_ such ships without turning heads signified Imperial ranking of the highest authority.

The Force told him who Varykino was. Logic and all the evidence pointed to only one man. And yet he couldn't accept it. It made no sense! His hands trembled, his breath hitched in his throat.

"Commander?"

It was Mon. Luke wiped all expression from his face with an effort and looked up.

"What we'd like to ask you is if the Force might shed any light on whether this is some unimaginably good fortune, or if this is a new scheme hatched by the Empire. Who is Varykino? Does he really support us?"

Luke had never seen her look so serious as she continued, "If the ships have been sent to us in good faith, we cannot afford to not make full use of them." She leaned forwards. "If they are a trap, however, falling for this ruse will have dire consequences, as I'm sure you understand."

Luke took a moment to steel himself. "I will need time to mediate on this," he said in measured tones.

"Of course, Commander. We shall await your findings."

* * *

Luke sank down onto his bed and hid his face in his hands, but immediately pulled away as if he had been burned. He glared at his prosthetic hand, clenched it into a fist. What was Vader up to?

He knew it was Vader. It was possible, at a stretch, for it to be a Grand Moff – but only a strategic mastermind could have pulled this off and, fortunately for the rebellion, none had fit the bill since Tarkin's death. Only Vader could obtain Imperial Nebulon-B warships with such an ease as to acquire _ten_ of them, and he also had the wealth, resources and aptitude to pose as Varykino. Furthermore, he would have an intimate knowledge of how all of those systems had suffered at the hands of the Empire.

As was so often the case now when he thought of Darth Vader, a surge of grief swept through him. This time, he didn't try to stop it.

When he was young, all he ever seemed to do was dream of meeting his father. There were hundreds of possible scenarios – his father would come to Tatooine and they would just bump into each other in Anchorhead, or his father would turn up at the moisture farm or even at Biggs' house, or his father would see him racing Beggar's Canyon and know that the skilled pilot was his son – however it happened, his father would come for him and they would travel the stars together.

But never, not once, had he ever imagined that his father would slice off his hand in a deadly duel.

His wrist throbbed. How could Vader be his father? He could _feel_ the truth of it, the Force confirmed it. But he fervently, so desperately, wished it wasn't true. His father was meant to be a good man, a legendary Jedi Knight, betrayed by Vader – not Vader himself!

He fell back onto the bed and stared at the red-orange ceiling. For what felt like the millionth time since Bespin, he wondered why Ben had lied to him. By now he had pretty much come down to two possibilities. One explanation was definitely the more appealing – that the Jedi Master had been trying to protect him from the painful truth. He sincerely hoped this was the case, although he couldn't help but wish that he had been better prepared when he had faced the Dark Lord. The only alternative he could think of was that Ben, and possibly even Yoda, had hoped Luke would destroy Vader. That the kindly Jedi might have been plotting to use him to kill his own father was a bitter pill to swallow.

However, what scared him – terrified him, even – was that a part of him actually wanted to reach out to him. His father, being alive after all this time! He had spent all the years of his life yearning for him, and even as he reached adulthood the gaping void within him still called out for his father. Whoever he was, whatever he had done, Vader was still his father. All fathers had their flaws, didn't they? He remembered Biggs used to complain all the time about his father demanding high grades at school, scaring off his girlfriends and going through his room. So it was perfectly normal for children to find fault in their fathers – although Luke had to admit that some might consider being a Sith Lord, terrorizing the galaxy, and mutilating his son with a lightsaber worse than most.

But at least his father lived! He was alive and – well, perhaps not _well_, exactly, considering the life-support suit, but at least alive. After yearning for his father for so long and now to have found him, it felt like such a tragic waste to not be together. Perhaps Luke could help him, bring him back to the good side. They might even be able to find medical procedures to heal some of his impairments. And then they could travel the stars, as he'd always dreamed...

Luke firmly brought himself back to reality. Those were childish fantasies and had no place in his thoughts anymore. This was Vader, who remained firmly mired in the Dark Side. Vader, whose formidable presence in the Force easily overshadowed his own. Vader, who had reached out to him and offered him the galaxy...

On Bespin, reeling from the horror of discovering that Darth Vader was his father, it had been easy to reject him and throw himself off the gantry. Between a rock and a hard place, he had readily chosen possible death over joining what he had considered a monster. But now that he'd had time to come to terms with it, now that the initial trauma had worn off, he was plagued with doubts as to whether he would be strong enough to resist the Dark Side when his father called to him again...

The knock on the door made him jump. Sensing who was on the other side, Luke was intensely grateful for the interruption. Such troubling thoughts only usually preoccupied him at night, when his daytime duties couldn't distract him and the night-time quiet stilled the air. No good could come of succumbing to them during the day as well.

Without bothering to get up Luke opened the door with the Force and winced as Leia stepped in and switched on the light. She took one long look at him slumped on the bed, then closed and locked the door. She came and sat on the edge of the bed, and took the hand closest to her – his left hand – in her own. She didn't say anything for a while and Luke was comforted by her mere presence.

"It seemed you were pretty uncomfortable in there," she said eventually.

Luke sighed. How could he even begin to explain?

"And I know things haven't been easy since Bespin."

Luke sat up, pulled his hand free. What was she doing? She had never mentioned the place before. "Leia –"

"Luke," she interrupted before he could say anything else. "I know you can't talk about what happened yet, but let me say this?" Her pleading eyes melted away his resistance.

"I'm worried about you, Luke. You hide it well but something is haunting you and I'm not sure you're handling it well. "

He frowned. How as he supposed to handle it? His father was Darth Vader, he felt he was a traitor to the rebellion by mere association. Not to mention his lack of self-confidence when it came to the lethal combination of his father and the Dark Side... He had no idea how he was even supposed to start "handling" it.

Leia flinched as well. "I'm sorry, that sounded crass. What I'm trying to say is that perhaps you're not approaching it as you usually would. You're one of the bravest people I know. You risked your life to save me from the Death Star when you didn't even know me, and since then you've confronted so many dangers without any hesitation. You've always faced problems head on. I've never known you to hide away."

Luke stared at her. It was true. He knew he was putting off dealing with it, "hiding away" as she put it, but it impressed him that Leia could read him so easily.

"Am I that obvious?" he asked, a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

She smiled, relieved that his mood seemed to have lightened up a bit. "Only to me."

Leia waited while Luke seemed to digest what she had said. She recognised the moment when his jaw set in resolve and wondered if her words might have given him strength. She hoped so. "Do you know what you're going to do?" she asked.

"Possibly." He grimaced. "It won't be easy."

"Then it's a good thing that's never stopped you before."

Luke gave a short laugh. "True."

His mirth died down as Leia's expression turned serious. "About this Varykino," she said, and paused. She suddenly seemed very interested in staring at the opposite wall. "It's Vader, isn't it?"

He was too stunned to say anything for a moment. "What makes you say that?" he asked carefully when he was sure his voice would be steady.

She saw straight through him and closed her eyes as her fears were confirmed. Luke silently cursed his inability to lie. She had probably sensed his distress earlier too.

"Leia?" he asked hesitantly. He was about to ask if she was ok but realised it was a pretty dumb question.

She sighed, and threw him a wobbly smile. "I'd hoped it wasn't."

"I don't know for sure, Leia. It's perfectly possible that I'm wrong."

"I don't think so. I had my suspicions. I mean, ten EF76s? Who else could pull that off?"

He didn't have an answer. "Do the others know?" he asked after a while.

She shook her head. "No. At least, not yet. They're currently poring over the list of Grand Moffs. The idea of it being Vader is so ridiculous that it probably hasn't even occurred to them." Her face turned dark. "What concerns me is why. Why is Vader trying to make us think he's helping us? What are we overlooking?"

As if hearing Leia thinking aloud had helped clarify his thoughts, a disturbing possibility suddenly occurred to him. Was this a new tactic to reach him? To make him think his father was on his side, to gain Luke's trust then draw him to the Dark Side?

He said the only thing he could think of. "I'll try and see if the Force reveals anything."

Leia nodded and stood to leave. She looked so troubled that Luke felt the need to reassure her. "It'll be ok, Leia," he said softly.

Of course he couldn't guarantee that – he couldn't tell if they would be able to save Han or if they would ever succeed against the Empire – but she seemed to appreciate the effort all the same. She stepped towards him, and wordlessly, they wrapped their arms around each other and simply held on for a while – two friends so close they were like siblings, both suffering deeply, offering and finding comfort in each other.


	3. Revelations in the Force

Hello again!

Another big _Thank You!_ to those of you who took the time to send me such kind reviews for the last chapter! I've been very happy reading your positive comments. I never know how my writing comes across – you know that anxious feeling when you're not sure if it makes sense to anyone else…? Your messages inspire me to keep going :)

Sorry to take so long with this update, it's even longer than the last chapter and took quite a while to write! Anyway, let's see what happens now…

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** I'm not called George or Timothy.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 3. ****Revelations in the Force**  


It was a glorious sunset. Warm orange hues melted into rosy pink, setting the wispy clouds aglow as they rolled lazily across the sky. Higher up, the stunning array of colours gave way to the darker blue of the encroaching night sky. It was a spectacular view, a fitting display as the sun bid farewell to another day.

Sadly, hardly anyone noticed. As the sunset circumvented its way over one trillion people, there were few who stopped amidst their daily troubles to gaze in wonder. In the tallest tower of the tallest building, however, one man paid attention.

In a routine he had maintained religiously for over twenty years, Palpatine surveyed the capital of his Galactic Empire. Imperial Center spread before him, the pinnacle of the galaxy's awesome might and prosperity. He looked out from his private throne room in the Imperial Palace, yellow eyes glinting as the loathsome bright colours finally succumbed and darkness swept across the planet. In his mind the arrival of night depicted the true dawn, that of the resurrection of the Sith to power after one thousand years of Jedi dominance. After expertly manipulating both the Old Republic's political arena and the Jedi for decades, he had secured first Darth Vader's allegiance and subsequently his supremacy as the Galactic Emperor. Coruscant had become Imperial Center and the galaxy was subjugated to his will. Everything he could see, as well as anything and everything that he couldn't, belonged to him. All sentient life in the galaxy was his to command – a puppet show of galactic proportions, and he, the puppet master.

Tonight, however, the Force was stirring. It ebbed and flowed in a way almost reminiscent of when he had established the Empire, a deeply concerning insinuation in view of the seismic transformation he had orchestrated at that time. The master of prescience knew there were plans afoot, plots in motion against the Empire.

Closing his eyes, he sank into the potent, maleficent energy. For a fleeting moment he almost worried that the Force seemed to be evading his grasp, but then it bowed to his formidable will. The Dark Side reassured him, responding to his every wish, swelling and moulding at his whim, and he dismissed his fears as just a figment of his imagination in a moment of heightened anxiety.

He knew that governors, ambassadors, former senators, military officers, trade representatives and an endless line of other supplicants awaited his pleasure in the public throne room. He let them wait. He was the Emperor, they were insignificant. With the countless lights illuminating Imperial Center's cityscape before him, Palpatine meditated to foresee the changes brewing on the horizon.

* * *

The refugees stumbled down the transport gangplank, some limping or supporting others while the more seriously injured were carried out on stretchers. Those not so badly hurt were blinking in awe as they emerged into the large cavern that served as a hanger, filled with Y-wings and A-wings. A medical team converged on the wounded and the scene became a bedlam of rushing people.

Chewie howled to catch the attention of the head medic who was searching over the crowd.

"Third group today," the Dressellian woman muttered as she approached them, shaking her head. "Don't those Imps ever get enough of shooting civilians?"

"Looked like they were after some smugglers," Lando said from Chewie's side. "Lucky we managed to pick these people up, their whole town's been razed to the ground."

Chewbacca hadn't quite forgiven Lando yet for betraying them to the Empire on Bespin, and most likely wouldn't until Han was back with them safe and sound, but when Leia was relatively safely ensconced in the base he could sometimes be persuaded to run on missions with the former gambler-cum-smuggler turned administrator. Whenever Leia left the base, however, he stuck by her side like a starving hoard of mynocks to a power cable. Nothing in the galaxy could have made Chewbacca neglect the last request Han had made of him to take care of the Princess.

Grumbling to herself, the head medic took the list of casualties that Lando had hastily drawn up and disappeared back into the chaos.

Nobody noticed one of the refugee women who furtively glanced around at the activity and quietly headed towards the nearest doors. Her bloody, bandaged arm miraculously seemed to start working again as she tugged forward the deep hood of her cloak, concealing an errant strand of flaming red hair. Unobserved, she disappeared down one of the corridors leading into the rest of the base.

* * *

The green planet swarmed into view as Luke dropped out of lightspeed. Even from this distance he could see the massive storm clouds that eternally trapped the fetid swamps and forests in a humid, murky atmosphere. The sight evoked memories of when he had last seen this view – right before he had flown to Bespin, when one of the dearest things he had ever beheld as truth had been irrevocably, violently overturned. His life would never be the same again. _He_ would never be the same again.

Recalling how Yoda and Obi-Wan had attempted to stop him, Luke sighed. How would the Jedi Master receive his wayward student? He was somewhat dubious of the utterly ludicrous image his mind conjured up of Yoda dancing in glee, waving his stick and singing, _Told you so, right was I_ – but he knew a lecture couldn't be far away and he didn't know how he would respond to that. The truth was, despite all the subsequent heartache, he didn't regret leaving. If he had stayed he would never have forgiven himself for abandoning Han and Leia.

Yoda would no doubt be aware of his presence by now. Reaching for the calming energy of the Force, Luke grasped the controls and sent his X-wing towards the planet. As with his previous visit all of his scopes were rendered useless by the heavy electrical storm, but this time he easily navigated the obscuring cloud cover and forest trees with the aid of the Force, and circled the familiar large swamp to set his ship down on solid ground.

Remaining in the cockpit, he stretched out his senses. Dabogah teemed with life, from the small nudj lizards to the large dragonsnakes and even larger swamp slugs, from the edible adder moss to the vast forests of gnarltrees. His connection to the Force here was so easy and fluid, it was as if he was part of the planet. He could feel the life-giving energy so clearly that he could almost physically see it flowing through them all. The nearby concentration of the Dark Side in that cave, too, was unmistakeable, as was Yoda –

Luke opened his eyes and glanced to the rocks on the right. His master sat there, waiting for him.

He opened the cockpit canopy and jumped to the ground in a smooth, Force-assisted leap. Approaching the wizened Jedi, Luke bowed, then lowered himself to the ground.

Many thoughts ran through his head – Yoda's teaching during his training, the vision in the dark cave, Obi-Wan's luminous reappearance, his abrupt departure... He focused on clearing his mind as he waited to see how he would be received.

Yoda eventually broke the silence. "Returned you have, young Skywalker." It was a neutral observation. There was no judgement, no obvious disapproval for his abrupt departure.

Luke looked up at him. Outwardly, the ancient Jedi Master appeared even older. The wisps of silvery hair that crowned his wrinkled head were thinner, the creases in his face deeper. His elongated ears as well as his body seemed to settle just a little lower than before, as if the physical strength required to hold them up had weakened. However, his presence in the Force was just as powerful and intense as Luke remembered. Yoda was a blinding beacon even amongst this brightly Force-lit field that was Dagobah. Luke was unaware that the Jedi Master had been one of the most respected and powerful of the Old Republic for many centuries, the unanimously voted Grand Master of the Jedi Order, but had he known he would not have been surprised.

It was only much later after they had returned to Yoda's small hut and savoured the delights of his cooking (Luke couldn't believe he had managed to forget the taste!) that the Jedi Master permitted any serious discussion.

"Seeking guidance you are," Yoda said as he sank down in his weathered old armchair, grateful to be off his feet. "Speak you can."

As his Padawan settled himself down on the ground before him, Yoda was reminded of the time when another Skywalker had come to seek his advice. That day had occurred only recently for him in view of his nine-hundred years of life, although in human terms it was a whole generation ago. With his long experience and conviction in the Jedi Code Yoda was not usually prone to doubt, but during his solitary exile he had considered several times whether a different handling of that particular conversation might have prevented the downfall of this Padawan's father – and thus the end of the Old Republic and the near-annihilation of the Jedi.

As far as Yoda knew it was the only time that Anakin had approached any of the Jedi High Council regarding his fears of somebody close to him dying – his wife, as it turned out. The Jedi Code was clear on the subject – _Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose_. Evidently it had not been the advice that Anakin needed to save him from Palpatine's schemes.

Yoda's meditations had suggested a wide range of alternative outcomes that might have occurred had that conversation taken a different turn, and it was by no means clear whether he could have prevented Anakin's fall. What had been evident, however, was that matters had not been improved by Yoda failing to recognise the depth of Anakin's feelings and the intensity of his nightmares. Had he addressed the troubled Jedi's fears in another way, reassured him somehow and assisted him more actively, it might have opened the window just a little further for Anakin to have seen another way to save Padmé.

And now Anakin's son, who had demonstrated the same intense loyalty to his loved ones when he had rushed off to Bespin, sat before him plagued with concerns. He would handle this conversation with great care.

Yoda relinquished his gimer stick to Luke who propped it against the wall close by. The aged Jedi waited with all the patience in the world as his Padawan clearly hesitated.

"Master Yoda," Luke finally said, screwing up his courage. "Is Darth Vader my father?"

Yoda had sensed the strange emotions in Luke – a deep sadness tinted with great joy, an intense happiness fraught with dread – and was not surprised at the question. His ears drooped with sad resignation as he answered, "Your father he is."

Luke nodded after a pause. Although he had known it was true he still needed to hear it from Yoda – now there could be no uncertainty, even in the small hours of the morning when insecure thoughts threw him into doubt.

"Told you did he?" Yoda asked.

"Yes." Luke hesitated again then asked, almost nervously, "Master Yoda, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Obi-Wan?"

Yoda was perfectly aware of what the boy dreaded and addressed it immediately. "Wished you to face Vader without this knowledge, we did not."

Luke almost sagged with relief.

"Only a youngling you were, training to be a Jedi Knight. Craved for your father you did. Used your emotions Vader would have, to turn you into an agent of evil." His large eyes filled with sorrow and compassion. "Not ready for the burden were you," he added honestly.

As Luke absorbed this silently, Yoda continued to watch his Padawan carefully. Truth be told, Yoda was impressed with the maturity he could detect in the son of Skywalker. This Luke was very different to the youth who had rushed off blindly to save his friends. This Luke would still aid his friends but there was an air of calm sensibility about him, that of foresight and consideration. He had also survived his first confrontation with Vader, demonstrating both his affinity with the Force and strength of character to resist the temptation of the Dark Side. Back in the days of the Old Republic, this would be the stage when a Padawan would be ready to face the Jedi Trials.

"Much change I sense in you," Yoda said. "Grown you have in the Force. A powerful Jedi will you be."

Luke's surprise at these words was followed swiftly by a firm sense of purpose. As a Jedi there was much that he could do to aid the rebellion, to serve and protect the galaxy's inhabitants. Yoda nodded in approval. Luke was his father's son in many ways including his great affinity with the Force, but fortunately he had also inherited many traits from the former Senator Amidala. He had accepted the complimentary assessment with humility and not a hint of pride.

Eventually Luke stirred again. "Vader appears to be aiding the Alliance," he began, and proceeded to describe to Yoda the unusual dealings that had all occurred within the last two months. Yoda listened with a frown that Luke had come to recognise as that of intense concentration, usually involving the Force.

"But what I can't understand is why," he concluded when he had explained the ludicrous credit and warship donations and Vader's recruitment drive on behalf of the rebellion. "It seems too farfetched to just be a ploy to lure me in, or is that the idea? We don't know whether to let him help us or warn the other High Command of the danger."

"Meditated on this have you?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, but the messages are unclear. Objectivity still seems far away where things concern my father."

"Mmmmmm..." Yoda murmured with his eyes closed. It was an unintelligible sound with which Luke had become familiar during his training with the Jedi Master.

"Unusual this is," Yoda said eventually. "Meditate I will."

* * *

Palpatine scowled at the report before him. Not only did Vader have the gall to deliver it late but the state of affairs it detailed was deplorable. The rebellion was gaining momentum, gathering allies and resources at an alarming rate. His recent meditations had confirmed disturbing plots were in motion against the Empire and this certainly qualified within that category. Although the visions had been irritatingly vague and revealed nothing of value in identifying the perpetrators, any situation threatening the Empire and his supreme position in it was utterly unacceptable. He conveniently overlooked Vader's passing mention in the report of having warned about the Empire underestimating the Alliance's influence many years ago, and in his mind he laid the blame firmly on those durasteel armoured shoulders.

He fidgeted impatiently on his throne as the communication was patched through. The poor young technician who had only been transferred to the Emperor's personal retinue just two days earlier was doing his best, but by the time his shaking hands had allowed him to press all the correct buttons in a row without having to reset and start again, Palpatine had already decided his fate. He wouldn't make it down the elevator shaft alive when he left this evening.

When the chamber had emptied of his advisers and Red Guard, the life-sized holo-image of Darth Vader knelt before him. "What is thy bidding, my master?" came the humble greeting.

Sidious was not fooled. He knew Vader despised him, it was the way of the Sith. He usually enjoyed playing on his apprentice's efforts to conceal his hatred towards him but right now he was in too foul a mood for games. His yellow eyes glinted in anger. "How do you explain your despicable failure in crushing the rebels, Lord Vader?"

Vader seemed unaffected by the hostile tone and remained infuriatingly calm. "They are resourceful, my master. Analysis reveals they reached a critical mass which enabled them to gather support exponentially. However, I am now awaiting intelligence which may swiftly bring about their demise."

"I'm glad to hear you are _waiting around _while the rebels gather strength," Sidious snapped, his voice dripping with venomous sarcasm.

Vader, wisely, did not reply.

Sidious had had enough of his sensible apprentice and decided to drop the bomb. Sitting back in his throne, he said in quite a different tone of voice, "You need not fear, Lord Vader. Fortunately I have already acquired such intelligence."

At last, a reaction. Vader's bowed head came up just a fraction at this unexpected news. He waited, and sure enough, when he volunteered no further details Vader was forced to prompt him. "What intelligence, master?"

Sidious paused for a long, ominous second before he said, rather pleasantly, "I have obtained the location of the rebel headquarters."

Vader's head came up fully and stared straight at him. From this distance it was impossible to sense his servant's reaction in the Force but he deemed "shock" might be an appropriate term.

All false nicety vanished as he glared at Vader. "My aides will send you the coordinates. Take all the resources necessary to be assured of complete victory. I want them crushed, once and for all. And Lord Vader," he said, pausing to ensure he had his apprentice's full attention.

"Do not fail me again."

* * *

Vader was in a paralysing state of disbelief as the transmission died. How had Sidious discovered the location of the rebel base? Vader had been closely monitoring both the Imperial Security Bureau and Imperial Intelligence and he was certain that they weren't even close to finding it. It could only mean Sidious had employed one of his Hands who must have somehow stumbled across it – which meant Luke was in danger! The boy had handled himself admirably against him on Bespin but if caught unawares… Cold, nauseating dread washed over him.

"No…" he whispered. "Luke…"

A remote possibly suddenly occurred to him and he wondered if Sidious had really found the base. Could he be bluffing? It wouldn't be the first time his master had fabricated intelligence, either to incriminate somebody or simply to ensure Vader remained vigilant. He scarcely dared to hope. He burst out through the doors of the communications chamber and marched back to his computer terminal. A new top priority, heavily encrypted message from the Imperial Palace was already waiting there. He stared at it for a long moment, afraid to access it, but then realised that such behaviour wouldn't help Luke. With a shaking finger he pressed to open it –

His heart almost stopped when the precise coordinates appeared on the screen.

* * *

Yoda finally opened his eyes and gave a weary sigh. He had been meditating for hours. Daylight was fading, giving way to a murky dusk. "Unexpected this is," he said when he saw that Obi-Wan's luminous form had appeared before him.

"What is, Master Yoda?"

Yoda frowned, and said almost in wonder, "Confused Vader is. Turning from the Dark Side he may be."

"That's not possible!" Obi-Wan was shocked. After being forced to duel against Anakin, his brother in all but blood, he knew with absolute certainty what his former student had become. "Vader is evil, a Sith! No one has ever returned from that dark path."

"Powerful emotions he feels. Great love for his son he has, affecting the grip of the Dark Side. Forever dominate his destiny, it may not."

Until that moment, Obi-Wan had never before questioned a single word Yoda had said. It was something he needed to consider. For the time being, mainly due to his deep faith and respect in Yoda, he put aside his personal reservations. "If that is the case, we should tell Luke."

Yoda looked out of the small window to the clearing across the swamp where Luke balanced upside down on one hand. He shook his head. "Great anger and fear resides in Vader still. Of the Sith he still is. Possible it is, turn from the Dark Side he may. But certain it is not." Yoda's ears drooped. "Already suffered greatly the youngling has. Give him false hope, I cannot." He shook his head again. "Tell him, I will not."

* * *

In an instant, all officers and controllers appeared intensely busy as the doors swept open and Vader strode onto the bridge.

"Admiral."

Piett snapped a salute and followed the Dark Lord to the forward viewport. "Yes, Lord Vader."

"Alert all commands. We have the rebels. Assemble the fleet in the Toprawa system immediately to prepare for the battle."

"Yes, my lord," Piett acknowledged then turned to dispatch orders.

As the men rushed into activity, the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces continued to contemplate the stars in dark, brooding silence.

* * *

It had been many, _many_ years since Vader had last been in such a compromising position. Clinging to the underside of a gangway that bridged a maintenance shaft leading to the reactor core, he waited impatiently for the patrol to pass. Through the struts of the bridge he could feel the _Executor_'s warp drives humming as they travelled to Toprawa. The moment the last stormtrooper was out of sight, Vader flipped himself back onto the gangway the right way up and sprinted for the opposite end, opening the doors with the Force as his long strides ate up the distance between them. He dove through the opening just before a mechanic and two maintenance droids appeared through the doors on the other end to investigate why the security recordings for the bridge had ceased transmitting. As the human mechanic stared utterly bewildered at the gnarled lumps of metal that no longer resembled security cameras, Vader had plenty of time to sneak away undetected.

He continued to slip from shadow to shadow, undetected by any officer, stormtrooper, droid or security camera as he made his way towards the underside of the _Executor_. It took almost an hour but he finally reached his destination – a small, secure chamber housing three computer terminals.

It was a simple Force trick to persuade the three troopers on guard to walk aimlessly away and he easily hacked the coded lock on the door. The room was fairly dark with only the blinking lights of the computers for illumination, but the mechanical eye receptors in his mask easily adjusted. He plucked a datachip from his utility belt and plugged it into one of the machines. Within only a few minutes he had uploaded the programmes he had created earlier, fed false images into the system to replace the security recordings of the previous five minutes, and slipped back out of the room as if he had never been there.

* * *

Luke returned to the hut much later that evening, both rejuvenated and exhausted from a punishing run around the forest. He noticed immediately that Yoda had finished meditating and was stirring up another pot of what looked like swamp stew.

"Master Yoda," Luke greeted out of courtesy. He didn't need to announce himself, he knew Yoda was already aware of his presence.

Yoda could feel the Padawan's eagerness to know what his meditations had revealed but the boy held himself in check as he brought over some clumps of herbs to add to the pot. Luke remained silent as they ate the meal, resigned to wait until Yoda was ready to talk. The Jedi Master was pleased at his patience.

"Go to Vader you must," Yoda finally said. He saw Luke blink in surprise, then a spike of fear emanated from him. Yoda frowned. "Speak to him you must. Tell you of his plans he may," he explained, wondering if Luke dreaded facing the Dark Lord again.

The cloud of fear remained, dampening Luke's bright Force presence. Yoda's usual response would have been to lecture about the dangers of fear leading to the Dark Side, but in view of his conversation with Anakin, he reconsidered his reply.

"What fear you?" he asked gently.

It was difficult to admit, especially to Master Yoda of all people. "He's my father ..." Luke began, then stalled when he couldn't find the words to explain.

But Yoda understood. He frowned in concentration, then a moment later his eyes brightened as if an idea had hit him. "Wish to be with your father do you?"

Luke nodded.

"Join him in the Dark Side will you?"

Luke looked up, startled. "No! I wouldn't –"

"Or join him in the light?" Yoda continued as if Luke hadn't spoken.

Luke's mouth opened to reply, but he shut it again as he realised what Yoda had been driving at. Almost in an instant, the fear dissipated and an iron resolve formed within him. "In the light side," he said firmly.

"Then strong you must be, for your father's sake."

Luke nodded, and his mouth curved into a soft smile. It was so obvious. He marvelled at how a few words could transform his entire perspective. First Leia, and now Yoda –

"Told the Princess of your father have you?" Yoda asked as if picking up on his thoughts.

"No." His expression turned sorrowful. "I can't. At least, not yet. She already has so much on her mind with Han still missing."

"Mmmm…" There was that sound again but this time it was distinctly disapproving. "Know the truth she should."

"I can't add to her burden," Luke reasoned. Some part of him was also afraid that she wouldn't want to know him anymore if she knew the truth. He knew it was juvenile to conceal something so that she couldn't hold it against him, but nevertheless it held him back.

There was nothing he could hide from Yoda in such proximity and the Jedi Master easily sensed all of his emotions.

"Reject _her_ would you, if Vader her father was?" Yoda asked.

"Of course not," Luke replied instantly, vehemently.

"Then reject you she would not. Time to accept it she would need, but understand she will." Yoda fixed him with a stern look. "Speak to her you must."

"I know," Luke said with a sigh. He looked up. "Why is it so important that she knows?"

Yoda hesitated. "From you she must learn, before she hears from another."

Luke had the distinct sense that the Jedi Master was skirting the real issue, but several prompts and questions later Yoda remained resolutely uninformative. Luke took the hint and stopped asking when Yoda offered him some more swamp stew.

* * *

The two armament technicians were barely managing to remain standing, so much were they shaking. Vader loomed over them.

"A _defect_?" he repeated dangerously when they had delivered their report.

"W-we assure you, Lord Vader, it w-will be repa-paired in no time at all! We are all – all of us – attending to it!" The terrified men desperately searched the faces around them for support, but their colleagues distanced themselves from their fate and refused to meet their eyes.

"We are on the doorstep of the rebel headquarters and the fleet has amassed. You have thirty minutes to locate and repair this _defect_." The slight pressure on their windpipes left them in no doubt as to the price of failure. He spun and stormed out of the armaments engineering room, his black cape billowing out behind him.

Only Vader knew that he was smiling inside his mask.

* * *

Luke guided his X-wing out of lightspeed and began circumventing the sun in a random trajectory away from the rebel base, a standard Alliance procedure for checking whether anyone had picked up their trail.

He was alert as his ship casually flew along but part of his mind was pondering Yoda's words. It was strange that his master had been insistent that he speak to both Vader and Leia. He could only imagine that Yoda must have seen something significant in his meditations for him to completely reverse his previous stance regarding Vader. As for why it was so crucial for Leia to know who his father was, he hadn't the foggiest. The only thing he knew was that the thought of telling her made his stomach lurch uncomfortably.

'_Son!_'

The voice boomed in his head and Luke would have jumped clear out of his seat had his crash webbing not been securing him down. It almost sounded as if Vader had been waiting impatiently for him to emerge from hyperspace.

'_Father?_' The address was purely instinctive, born of his momentary shock. He was even more startled when he sensed joy radiating from the other end of their connection. _I'm losing it_, he thought. The Dark Lord feeling joy? Impossible.

Luke glanced out of his cockpit canopy, searching frantically to locate the telltale signs of a Star Destroyer. He could see nothing. His scopes also remained blank.

'_Where are you?_' he asked.

'_You need to evacuate the base_,' was Vader's reply.

'_What?_' Not _Join me in the Dark Side_, or _Rule the galaxy with me_? Of all the things that Vader might have said, this was the least expected.

'_The Emperor has discovered your base_.'

'_What?_' Another strange thing to say. Yes, of _course_ he had, that was why they were discussing it instead of being bombarded to high heaven.

'_You're on Yavin 13, where the rocky plains, desert and southern seas all meet_.'

'_What?_' Shock jarred through him.

'_The Emperor has sent me to destroy it. I have stalled the main fleet briefly in the Toprawa system but it will not be feasible to delay for much longer. Evacuate immediately._'

'_WHAT?_' A part of his brain wondered if he had lost the ability to think of any other word. He shook his head to clear it as he started punching in the communication code for the base. '_Why are you warning me?_'

'_You are my son. I do not wish you harm._'

There was only one way to respond to that. '_You cut off my hand!_'

Luke detected overwhelming regret radiating towards him before Vader replied. '_It was not my intention, son. But we will talk another time. Now, you must leave. Star Destroyers will be there in under half an hour. Hurry!_'

Vader severed the connection without another word.

"Code Red alert, I repeat, Code Red alert!" Luke said rapidly into his comlink. "This is Rogue Leader to Home One, do you copy?"

"This is Home One, we read you Commander Skywalker."

"Home One, the Empire may have found us. Run a full scan of the Toprawa system for suspected Imperial fleet. If they're there, we have less than half an hour to evacuate."

Luke heard urgent shouts on the other end as instructions were passed on. There were several tense seconds as he waited, then even before the reply came through Luke sensed the fear swell through the base. He didn't need to hear the controller's trembling voice to know the verdict.

"Commander Skywalker. We have detected a large fleet of Star Destroyers on the other side of Toprawa. All pilots are ordered to return to base immediately for emergency evacuation."

* * *

"Lando, where's Leia?" Luke shouted over the din. It had taken him precious minutes too long to reach the _Millenium_ _Falcon_ through the mayhem in the large hangar.

"On her way," Lando hollered back as he and Chewie hastily reattached the Ground Buzzer blaster cannon underneath the ship with Artoo's assistance. Threepio tottered about unhelpfully around them. They had been in the middle of repairing the automatic targeting programming when the urgent order to evacuate had boomed over the base. "She commed a minute ago, she'd just left the Command Center."

There was an unmistakable wail and Luke saw Chewbacca dodge some technicians running past them and head his way. "That's OK, Chewie, I'll go find her. Can you get the _Falcon_ ready, and get Artoo and Threepio on board," Luke shouted over to him. It said much of Chewbacca's trust in Luke that the Wookiee turned back to do as he was asked.

Luke fought his way out against the surge of people flowing into the hangar. He stretched out his senses and was immediately assailed by a barrage of fear and apprehension projected by the hundreds of people in the base. It would have been impossible to find Leia in the chaos had he not been so acutely tuned into her presence. For some reason, at this moment she was angry and, rather unusually, slightly afraid.

When Luke finally cleared the throng of people with a Force-assisted somersault over their heads, he saw why. In a small, relatively empty docking bay a group of rebel security troops were trying to force her onto a small transport ship.

"Unhand me! I told you, Captain, I'm leaving on the _Falcon_. Let go of me at once!" Leia could usually handle herself perfectly well but she was understandably loathe to open fire on fellow rebel troops.

"Release her," Luke ordered calmly with a heavy dose of Force-suggestion, one hand waving vaguely towards them in an arc.

The five men almost instantly dropped their arms with dreamy expressions on their faces, but Luke sensed a slight resistance before his suggestion had passed through. It was almost as if they had been acting under some weak influence. His muscles coiled in readiness as Leia extracted herself from the circle they had formed around her, but fortunately they remained under his sway and simply stood there. He hid her from view behind him as she reached him.

"Take this ship to the main hangar and assist with the evacuation," he said, his hand again waving towards them. "Quickly!"

Without a word, the men jogged onto the ship and lifted off.

"What happened?" Luke asked as they hurried back towards the corridor.

"I don't know," Leia replied, frowning. "They just said they had orders to put me on that transport and wouldn't listen to a word I said. It was bizarre."

"We'll have to look into it later. Come on," he urged as he helped her through the crowded tunnels.

Neither of them noticed a cloaked figure watching them from the shadows, silently disappearing into the throng of people after they left.

* * *

Dozens of ships had left. Luke kept one eye on his scopes for the _Falcon_'s distinctive blip, silently imploring his friends to hurry. Every second was crucial – from Toprawa it was only a few seconds' hyperjump to Yavin 13 and the Imperial Fleet would be upon them. He escorted the heavy cruiser carrying General Rieekan until it entered hyperspace then wheeled his X-wing back to base for the next large transport. He knew Mon Mothma had departed on another ship, the Alliance leaders always travelled separately to reduce the risk of High Command all being wiped out at the same time.

Space was crowded all around him with starfighters escorting gunships and transports until they entered hyperspace. At long last, the _Millenium_ _Falcon_ burst out of the moon's atmosphere.

"There you are," he sent over the com. "What kept you?"

"We picked up some stragglers," came Leia's reply. "They'd missed their transports. Are you leaving now?"

"I'm right behind you, Leia," he replied. "I'll see you at the rendez vous point."

"I'll hold you to that," she said, followed quickly by Chewie's wail which made him smile. He knew Leia's demanding tone hid her deeper concern and was about to reassure her when Lando interrupted.

"Coordinates are set."

"Good, get out of here," Luke urged. He released a sigh of relief as the _Falcon_ vanished from view.

And none too soon! A second later a rapid succession of _Imperial_-class Star Destroyers started dropping out of hyperspace right on top of them, sending scores of ships scattering to avoid crashing into their shielded hulls. Luke careened his X-wing away from a collision course with a Y-wing and he counted six – now seven – Destroyers. Then an eighth arrived – it was an _Interdictor_-class!

Rebel ships that had only just entered lightspeed started reappearing amongst them, adding to the chaos as they were dragged out of hyperspace by the _Interdictor_'s projected gravity wells. To his horror, the _Falcon_ also blinked back into existence on his scopes a short distance away as it was abruptly pulled back into normal space.

Heavy turbolaser fire began raining down on them from the Star Destroyers.

Luke was unnerved not to sense Vader aboard the Star Destroyers but he immediately focused his attention on the battle upon them.

"This is Rogue Leader," he said with calm assertion over the Alliance's coded fleet-wide wavelength as he dodged a torrent of laser fire. "All ships group into formations, merge squadrons."

The starfighters instantly followed the only clear instruction amongst the chaos and began establishing hasty formations.

"Rogue Leader," came a familiar voice over his private ship com, "this is Rogue Two on the starboard quarter."

Luke couldn't even guess how Wedge had managed to find him amongst the hundreds of ships lurching and veering around each other.

"Rogue Leader, Grey Five on your port side." That was Shara reporting in, former bounty hunter and a sound pilot.

"Rogue Two, Grey Five, keep tight," Luke acknowledged as he continued to swerve around laser fire while avoiding other ships, now with his two wingmen close behind him. He flicked back to the fleet-wide com band. "This is Rogue Leader. Lock s-foils in attack position."

"TIE fighters coming in!" someone flagged over the fleet-wide wavelength. "From all Star Destroyers!"

TIE fighters were flooding out of the immense hangers and Luke quickly made a rough estimate of their number as he launched his tight formation into a spiral. Eight Star Destoyers might be a tall order, especially with the _Interdictor_ denying escape by lightspeed, but the TIEs only outnumbered them three to one. They had faced worse odds. He could imagine similar thoughts running through the minds of other veteran rebel pilots.

But at that moment, like a harbinger of doom, the absolutely enormous, arrowhead shape of the _Executor_ materialised right above them all. With the unmistakable arrival of Darth Vader, there was utter pandemonium.


	4. To lift the veil of shadow

Hello again!

Thank you kind reviewers! It's been great reading all your comments and about which parts you especially like. It's also good to see so many of you following this and adding it to your favourites and story alerts. I hope you keep enjoying it :)

I wrote a lot of this chapter listening to the SW soundtrack, really put me in the mood. Now let's see how the battle unfolds…

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Characters and various other things clearly not mine!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 4. To lift the veil of shadow  
**

The instant the _Executor_ emerged from hyperspace Vader sensed his son, a bright beacon that could be nobody else. Why was the boy still here? Vader huffed in frustration. Fortunately his vocaliser was programmed to disregard non-vocal exhalation of air and the bridge officers remained ignorant of their commander's disturbance.

Space around Yavin 13 was already cluttered with chaotic dogfights, interlaced with heavy turbolaser fire from the eight Star Destroyers. As the Super Star Destroyer also began contributing to the deadly crossfire and added its own substantial complement of TIE fighters to the battle, the chances of survival for the rebel pilots became increasingly remote. As Vader surveyed the battle he pinpointed Luke's Force presence in an X-wing which lead a random three-ship formation with a Y-wing and another X-wing.

He would have stopped breathing had it not been for his respirator when two TIE fighters picked up the trail of the three rebel starfighters. Never had Vader been so concerned with the welfare of another living being and he was sorely inexperienced in dealing with the stomach-churning, heart-stopping feeling that gripped him. He stared transfixed, afraid to watch and yet unable to look away, as the ships tumbled and spun around each other. Just when he thought he would burst from all the tension building up inside, a second group of rebel ships swooped in and shot down the pursuing Imperial fighters in quick succession. He expelled a great sigh of relief. He didn't even care that in his capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces he was rooting for the wrong side. In what was left of his battered, withered heart there was only one side – one person – that mattered anymore.

His relief, however, was short lived. Luke was now spinning to evade being trapped by three TIE interceptors zeroing in from both sides and Vader could take no more. He rounded on Piett. "Send two pilots to my private hangar. You have the bridge, Admiral."

No one batted an eye as Vader stormed out. As well as being a brilliant strategist, the Sith Lord was famous for his custom of leading battles from the front line. It was one of the very few traits that his subordinates admired, rather than feared, in him.

* * *

The _Millennium_ _Falcon_ swerved around the hull of the Star Destroyer _Avenger_ and spun to face backwards, continuing its previous trajectory. The two pursuing TIE fighters rounded the hull where they were promptly dispatched by one of the _Falcon_'s quad laser cannons.

Lando's voice came over the com. "Four more coming in, point three five." Threepio could be heard bemoaning in the background, accompanied by unimpressed splats from Artoo.

Distracted with thoughts of her last stint in the gun turret when Han had been in the cockpit, Leia had missed that second TIE fighter. It was fortunate that Chewie had caught it from his end. With a deep breath, she forced herself to focus on the battle at hand. Han would never forgive her if she let his treasured ship be fried to a crisp.

A strange, crystal clear focus seemed to come over her, and this time when the TIE fighters zoomed across before her, they seemed to slow down and she had ample time to catch them in the crosshairs of her targeting array and depress the trigger. One after another, all four exploded.

"Wow, good shot!"

Leia glanced over her shoulder at the red-haired woman who had poked her head into the gun turret's access shaft. It was one of the stragglers they had picked up at the base, called Kara, as she had learned in their hasty introductions. Leia couldn't recall seeing her before but there were always so many people coming and going, especially recently with the flood of new recruits.

"You should stay buckled in," Leia warned. "It's not safe, you could get thrown."

The woman didn't seem concerned. "Can I help?" she asked, and grinned as Leia hesitated. "I used to do a fair bit of smuggling, I can handle a TIE fighter or two."

"I take it you can fly?" Leia asked.

"Sure."

"Then you could take over from Threepio in the cockpit, he's never been much of a co-pilot."

"Great!" Kara said brightly and ducked back down into the ship.

* * *

Vader's heavily modified TIE Advanced screamed out from the _Executor_ and tore into the fray, with two nervous pilots on his wing. The bulk of the experienced pilots had already proceeded to join the battle and these were the best of what had remained of the reserve force. He knew his handpicked Black Two and Black Three were also out here somewhere, but he purposefully kept the greener, more expendable pilots by his side as he closed in on his son. Despite Vader taking it easy the two wingmen barely managed to keep pace. Luke spotted him as they approached and began leading his formation through increasingly erratic manoeuvres in a bid to lose them.

"Split off and engage the two wingmen," Vader ordered over their private frequency, even knowing it would most likely cost the two inexperienced pilots their lives. "Break them off from the leader."

If they were surprised at this command to break formation, they were too afraid to voice it.

The TIE fighters veered off then swung back to pepper the two rebel ships with laser fire from the side. As the X- and Y-wings spun away to evade fire, Vader burst straight through between them after Luke.

With the formation broken, Luke launched off in a dizzying combination of evasive acrobatics, spinning and looping around other dogfights that tested the X-wing's G-force capacity to the limit. His temporarily assigned R5 unit squealed in protest – he was a sullen droid, not even comparable to the chirpy, brave R2.

It was clear that Luke had previously been holding himself back to maintain formation with his two wingmen. Vader stuck right on his tail – with some considerable effort, he was proud to note.

'_You fly well, Son_,' he sent mentally.

Even as Vader sensed his son's joy at the compliment, Luke replied cheerfully, '_Just trying to get away from you, Father_.'

Vader winced. His reply was interrupted by Wedge's voice over the X-wing's comlink. "Rogue Leader, we've dispatched the TIEs. Hold on, we're coming after you."

"No, Wedge," Luke replied, "Take Shara and gather as many others as you can. Target the _Interdictor_'s shield generator."

"You sure?"

"We'll _all_ be pulverised if we can't jump to lightspeed. Focus on that _Interdictor_."

"Right, boss," Wedge confirmed grimly.

Through the dense mesh of spinning starfighters and laser fire flying in every direction, Luke caught a glimpse of Rogue Two and Grey Five peeling off towards the _Interdictor_ in the distance.

When Vader sensed his son's attention return to him, he was determined to put the record straight. '_I did not come to shoot you down_.'

'_Of course not_,' Luke replied with light sarcasm. '_That's why you're chasing me._' He sent them spiralling past a TIE fighter that was careening out of control.

'_Only to keep other fighters away_.' Vader sensed Luke's confusion and clarified, '_The others will recognise my ship and think I am after you personally, so they will not interfere. Better I chase you, than someone who is trying to kill you_.'

Luke's bewilderment only intensified. '_Since when are you not trying to kill me?_'

Vader was so stunned for a moment that he forgot to steer. Bright light flashed before him and he jerked his ship away from an exploding B-wing in the nick of time. He immediately put himself back on the tail of the X-wing, which curiously hadn't gone far.

'_You're surprised_,' Luke observed. '_I have the feeling we're not_ _seeing eye-to eye_.'

'_So it appears_,' Vader replied wryly. '_But the responsibility may be mine._'

Luke was pointedly silent as their ships wove around a Corellian gunship providing cover fire for the _Quantum Storm_, the poorly armed medium transport trying to distance itself from the _Avenger_'s battery fire.

'_I was wrong,_' Vader began, then faltered.

He was not accustomed to apologising. His only practise to date had been his desperate pleas of forgiveness to Padmé, which were unheard, and his occasional apologies to his master, which were nothing more than superficial sugar coating to keep the fragile peace. Now that he was trying to apologise to his son, truly meaning it with every fibre of his being, he found it perhaps the hardest thing he had ever done.

Luke waited patiently for him to continue as they looped around the bridge of the _Devastator_.

Vader tried again, knowing that this needed to be said, right here, right now. '_I did not intend to injure you, Luke. I never meant to –_' He faltered again as his mind abruptly catapulted lightyears back to Bespin, where Luke clung to the gantry, where Vader had cornered him…

Tormented by the image piercing his mind, he failed to sense the danger. Luke's alarmed mental shove jarred him back to the present, but too late, the turbolaser fire slammed into his drive pod and sent him spinning out of control.

* * *

"The cover fire's too heavy, Rogue Two. Both _Vengeance_ and _Conquest_ are guarding the _Interdictor_!"

Wedge took a moment to consider as he jerked his ship aside to avoid an oncoming TIE bomber. "Then we'll have to take one of them down first," he replied to X2, the Grey Leader. "Maybe both." He fired on some fleeing TIE fighters while simultaneously spinning away from a stream of laser fire from a group of TIE interceptors chasing him.

There was a series of explosions behind him. Somebody had cleared his pursuers – the _Falcon_, he realised, as the modified freighter swooped past.

"Thanks," Wedge said over the com.

"Our pleasure," Leia replied. "Has anybody seen Luke?"

"He was being chased by Vader, your Highness. We tried to help but he told us to focus on the _Interdictor_," Wedge said apologetically. He knew the two were close.

There was the smallest fraction of a pause before Leia's authoritative voice replied, "He's right. We need to bring that Star Destroyer down and open up hyperspace."

Wedge glanced at his scopes. "The _Vengeance_'s shield generator looks more accessible, I suggest we target that first."

"I second that, Rogue Two," Leia confirmed. "Grey Leader, take us in."

"All fighters, on my mark," X2 prompted, and the ragtag group of a modified Corellian freighter, several X-wings, an A-wing, two B-wings and a dozen Y-wings converged on the Star Destroyer.

* * *

'_Father!_'

Even as Vader struggled to regain control of his ship, Luke's concern warmed his heart. As he eventually righted himself and, most strangely, found the X-wing right in front of him again, he sent back, '_I'm all right, son. The shield took the brunt_.'

His shields were down to eighteen percent, it would hold if Vader paid attention. He forced himself to do so, for Luke's sake, as they run the length of a veering Corellian frigate exchanging fire with the _Accuser_, dangerously close to the hull.

This time his mind was in full control as he sent, '_I am truly sorry, my son. I was wrong on Bespin_.' The mental communication was loaded with remorse. '_No matter how much I wish it, there is nothing I can do to change the past. But I will do everything in my power to make amends. I maintain the guise of loyalty to the Empire so that I can continue to assist you, but know that everything I do is for you._'

For a brief moment he revealed himself in the Force to Luke. He let his son see into his mind and heart devoid of any shielding, showing that he spoke the honest truth. Luke's shock radiated back to him.

Vader quickly reformed his shields. Being open was never a clever ploy, even with Sidious such a great distance away.

'_As much as I am enjoying flying with you, Luke, we have little time left. Before you enter hyperspace you should know that –_'

'_You may not have noticed_,' Luke interrupted, '_but there's the trifle matter of an _Interdictor_ that's making that rather tricky_.'

'_Never mind that, it will soon be disabled. Now, before you leave –_'

'_Disabled? Really?_'

'_Yes. Now –_'

'_But the shields are still –_'

'_Luke!_'

His son fell silent. Vader briefly wondered what it would have been like to raise him as a child. He would have treasured every moment of it.

'_I have taken care of it_,' Vader sent briefly. '_The 'how' does not matter_. _Now this is important, you must listen_.'

Mercifully, Luke remained quiet this time as they continued their mind-boggling manoeuvres at break-neck speed through the lethal obstacle course.

'_I believe that one of the Emperor's Hands has infiltrated the rebellion, he or she was most likely at the base here. They would be Force sensitive and an expert in espionage and assassination. I do not know yet whom he has sent, but you must be alert_.'

None too soon, Vader's comlink came to life. "Lord Vader, this is Admiral Piett. Ion cannons are armed and primed on the rebel warships."

"Good. Fire at will," Vader commanded, then focused on Luke again. '_Remember, my son. I am always here for you_.'

Hundreds of ion cannon pulses boomed out from the _Executor_. But immediately it was obvious that something was wrong. The shots splayed out randomly, noticeably lacking in any direction even for a weapon not known for its high accuracy. The plasma pulses hit a few unfortunate fighters in their path but otherwise missed anything of worth – until several slammed a bull's eye on the _Interdictor_.

Shocked disbelief radiated across the battlefield. All power failed on the Star Destroyer and the immobilised capital warship gradually slanted towards the moon, helpless against its gravitational pull.

'..._Was that you?_' Vader heard from his incredulous son.

'_Never mind that. Go! Before I have to drag you in with a tractor beam!_'

Nobody needed to be told that the gravity well projectors had been incapacitated. Rebel ships were rapidly jumping to lightspeed, trying to make good their escape before someone restored the _Interdictor_'s functionality.

"Admiral," Vader boomed over the com as he broke away from Luke and made a beeline back towards his flagship. "Secure the _Interdictor_ with tractor beams. Order Imperial craft to return to host and focus all firepower on the fleeing rebel ships!"

"Yes, my lord!" Piett acknowledged, for once sounding flustered. The mission was rapidly turning into a disaster and he feared sharing his predecessors' fate.

'_Father_,' came a tentative mental call from his son as all the Star Destroyers brought their collective arsenal to bear on the quickly emptying battlefield, lighting up space with deadly, brilliant fireworks.

'_Are you still here?_'

There was a pause, then, softly, '_Thank you_.'

Vader immediately regretted his terse response, but before he could reply, Luke's bright presence vanished as the X-wing jumped to lightspeed. The darkness in the Force that instantly descended on Vader was suffocating, so thick that it was almost tactile, and he wondered how he could have lived for so long without his son. The simple answer was that he hadn't. He had existed, but never lived. It was only now that he had come alive.

* * *

"Luke!"

"Leia," he said into a mouthful of brown hair as he caught her in his arms, then he started laughing when huge, hairy arms picked them both up with a joyful howl. "Hey, Chewie."

After Chewbacca released them, Leia clung to him fiercely for another brief second before letting him go and gave him a half playful, half serious punch on the arm. "Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry," he said. "There was a glitch in the hyperdrive, it dropped me off short. Luckily the R5 unit managed to convince it to do another short leap to bring us in closer before it packed up altogether."

"You had us worried. When you didn't show at the rendez-vous after being chased by Vader, and you didn't even have Artoo with you…" Leia trailed off.

A strange mixture of emotions washed over him at the mention of his father, but he pushed them aside. He couldn't talk about that, not just yet. But he could reassure her. "I'm here now," he said, sending soothing waves with the Force. She gave him a small smile.

"Is this a bad time?" came a hesitant voice from the side.

"Not at all, it's fine Kara," Leia said, waving her over. "Luke, I wanted you to meet Kara, she was a great help in the evacuation. Lando said she was a terrific co-pilot..."

Luke didn't hear another word. Blue eyes met brilliant, emerald green and he lost the ability to speak. Long, flame-red hair tumbled about her heart-shaped face and cascaded down past her shoulders. There was an innate strength in her stance, a no-nonsense attitude. Their respective energies merged, polar opposites and yet in perfect harmony, her ferocity complementing his serenity. The Force swirled between and around them, charged by the significance of the moment. He was spellbound. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, so vibrantly alive!

"Uh... hi," he said, the word barely making it past his numb lips.

"... Hi," the woman said, equally inarticulate.

They fell silent again.

Beside them, Leia coughed discretely.

They jumped, breaking eye contact as they realised that they had been staring at each other. Luke cleared his throat and Kara adopted a rather aloof expression. By the warm feeling on his face and neck, Luke knew he must be wearing the same blush as her.

"Luke, this is Kara," Leia said again, assuming correctly that he hadn't heard a word. "Kara, Luke Skywalker."

"Well, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you," Kara said, her tone coolly civil.

"Likewise, Kara. And uh… Just call me Luke."

"Luke," she muttered, almost reluctantly. There was an awkward pause then she turned to Leia. "I need to be going, your Highness. The deck officer needed details of available starfighters," she said, then sauntered away.

Leia appeared to be on the verge of a question but Luke avoided her amused, curious gaze and deliberately changed the subject. "How's Artoo? Is he all fixed?"

His spunky droid had been most embarrassed when he had accidentally plugged himself into a highly charged conduit which short-fused many of his circuits. Most of the repairs had been completed while Luke was away on Dagobah but they hadn't been able to reattach his legs in time for the loyal droid to accompany him in the sudden evacuation.

The Wookiee howled and gestured with his arms.

"Chewie was just fixing him," Leia supplied, thankfully dropping the issue about Kara. "He should be ready by your next flight."

"Thanks Chewie," Luke said. His hairy friend gave another howl then loped off to continue working on the astromech droid.

Now just the two of them, Luke's face turned grave. "Was it bad?"

She knew what he was asking. "It could have been so much worse, though any price is too high. Most of the casualties were pilots. I'm sorry Luke, we lost Keir Santage."

He nodded numbly. Rogue Seven had been a good pilot, demonstrating unquestionable loyalty to the Alliance since being rescued from an Imperial detention centre. Luke tried to remind himself that Keir would return to the living Force, as would the others who had lost their lives, but it was little consolation.

"We'll remember them," he promised grimly.

She nodded, sharing the sentiment. It was a sad fact of their lives that they could rarely take the time to properly mourn their fallen comrades, but the Alliance never forgot those who had given their lives for freedom.

"Mon wants to see you when she arrives in a few hours," she said as she led him towards the large doors. "She was asking if your recent trip revealed anything on _Varykino_'s intentions." There was a distinct bitterness in her tone at the pseudonym.

Luke nodded. "Of course." He looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard and dropped his voice. "Can we talk?"

She threw him a curious look. "I'll show you to your quarters."

Luke followed her out of the hangar. They were on a Mon Calamari cruiser in the fleet where the Alliance High Command was temporarily based, their next ground-based headquarters having not been established yet. They said little as they traversed the brightly lit corridors.

It was a given that people would stand by to allow one of the Alliance leaders to pass, but Luke noticed with alarm that they were now staring at him with renewed awe and some even gave him small bows. He hid his discomfort as he nodded back politely.

As soon as they reached his new rooms and the door closed them off from the corridor, he scrunched up his face and slapped a hand on his forehead. "OK, what did I do this time?"

Leia laughed. In rare moments like this he reminded her of the younger man, a boy really, whom she had met on the Death Star. "You saved the Alliance yet again," she said lightly as she settled herself in the only chair in the room. "You told us about the Imperial Fleet, remember?"

He groaned. Just when he thought things were calming down after Bespin! "Why did you tell them it was me?"

Her eyes twinkled in mirth. "Oh, it wasn't me. Word had already spread by the time High Command was alerted."

"It must have been that controller I spoke to," he muttered as he grabbed a bundle of clothes and headed into the fresher.

"Apparently you had a Jedi premonition?" her voice floated teasingly after him.

"I never said anything of the sort!" he protested, his voice muffled through the thin door.

"I heard you didn't say anything at all. Word is, you just knew."

Halfway out of his jumpsuit, Luke squirmed uncomfortably. "Ah yes, about that…"

Leia didn't like that tone. She stared at the closed fresher door until Luke emerged in his dark Jedi robes.

"Yes, about that?" she prompted.

Even with the calm, collected demeanour of his Jedi training, he wanted to shift on his feet under her sharp scrutiny. "Try to stay calm, OK?" he said.

That only made her more nervous. "Just tell me, Luke."

Once he had swept the room with his Force sense to check nobody was eavesdropping, he said, "Vader told me."

Her face was a picture of incomprehension. "Come again?" she asked eventually.

"Vader." Luke stared through the opposite wall as if he was miles away. "When I returned from –" He stopped himself just in time. Yoda had to remain a secret for the safety of everyone concerned. "When I returned," he amended, "Vader contacted me."

"He commed you?" she asked. Her face had become an expressionless mask, the 'Princess Leia' look that she had developed through her royal upbringing and perfected in her year's tenure as the Senator of Alderaan.

His shook his head. "You know when I called to you on Bespin? When you could almost hear me? It's like that. Except, between Force adepts, we can also communicate with words. He told me that he had briefly stalled the Fleet in Toprawa, that we had under half an hour to evacuate."

She raised a perfectly arched brow.

"It's true!" he insisted.

"I don't doubt you for a second. What I'm dubious about is why he would warn you."

Of course that question would come up. Stupidly, Luke hadn't prepared to answer it, and he said the only thing he could think of. The truth, to a point. "He cited personal reasons."

"Such as using us to overthrow Palpatine so he can take over the Empire himself?" Leia retorted.

That possibility hadn't occurred to him and it made him hesitate. What _did_ Vader want? To make amends, his father had said. But what exactly did that entail? In their crazy flight above Yavin 13 there hadn't been time to ask. He made a mental note to bring it up next time.

What he did know with absolute certainty, however, was that Vader cared for his son. It had been a huge shock when Vader had suddenly removed his impenetrable layers of mental shielding and let Luke see deep into his heart. Darkness still resided there, but eclipsing everything was his love for his son. Luke had been completely overwhelmed with joy. Whatever his feelings regarding his father, however difficult it was to grasp the polar duality of the murderous Vader from Bespin and the fatherly Vader he had flown with almost the day before, he knew that the Dark Lord would not harm him. At least, not anymore, not intentionally. If taking over the Empire did happen to be in Vader's plans for making amends to his son, then Luke was sure he could convince him otherwise.

"I think we should accept the Nebulon-B frigates," he said quietly.

"Because he warned us he was about to raid our base? Luke, if he honestly supported us then why did he come at all?"

"Palpatine gave him our location, Vader had no choice. If he was found out then he wouldn't be in a position to help us anymore."

She frowned. "You believe him, then."

"There's just too many things he's done for us now. It's more _un_likely that he's not trying to help us. For whatever reason, I think he's genuinely trying to support our cause."

She still didn't seem convinced. Vader had been the enemy for too long, and with good reason – one of which was extremely personal.

Luke steered his thoughts away from that painful subject and focused on giving her the other pieces of the puzzle. "He warned me that one of the Emperor's Hands had infiltrated the base, which was how they knew where we were. He or she is Force sensitive, highly dangerous. We need to be on guard."

He knew Leia was wondering what possible reason Vader could have for alerting them. He stared right into her eyes. "There's more, but you can't tell anyone this."

"Luke, if there's a danger to the Alliance –" she started, but he interrupted.

"No, it's nothing like that. We just need to make sure that this Hand doesn't get wind of it. From the Empire's point of view, it's even worse than the rest. Promise me?"

She nodded after a moment's consideration.

"I think he sabotaged the _Executor_'s ion cannons."

She stared at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head.

"I know, it's crazy," he agreed, throwing up his hands. "But he told me that the _Interdictor_ would be disabled. He said, _I have taken care of it_."

"He said that?"

Luke nodded. "And then it happened."

"But he wasn't even on board the _Executor_."

"Yes I know, he was right behind me the whole time. But he knew it would happen, and he also knew the exact timing. If he didn't perpetrate the ion cannon failure, then he at least allowed it to happen. He let us escape."

Leia expelled a big sigh. "I don't even know what to think. Sabotaging his own mission? It's on a whole new level from giving us money and warships."

"And," added Luke, "the entire time he was chasing me, he didn't once shoot at me."

She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, then shook her head. "None of this makes sense. Why?" She leapt up and started pacing the room, her brow furrowed into a great frown. "Why, why, why? It's not like him at all. For something to drive him to behave so out of character it has to be something important, something critical."

This was it, the moment of truth. He would tell her, and everything would change. He inhaled, opened his mouth –

* * *

Vader waited, as still as a statue, as he knelt with his head bowed. He had lost count of the seconds a while ago, somewhere around the fifteen-minute mark as Sidious made a great show of perusing the report that he had already read. Vader used the time to form yet another layer of tight shielding around his already heavily shielded mind, moulding and perfecting it with care before forming yet another layer. Having been ordered back to Imperial Center he knew there was nothing he could do to prevent the inevitable, but whatever his fate, his master _must not find out_.

Sidious finally tired of making him wait and revolved on his throne to face his servant. His face was a hideous visage of rage. "Your spectacular failure astounds me," he spat. "I gave you the rebellion on a silver platter, and not only did you fail to capture Skywalker, but you did not even capture a _single_ rebel."

"Master, there was a catastrophic failure –"

"Yes, yes," Sidious sneered mockingly, "the rebels had already evacuated, they detonated their base and the ion cannon array failed." Fury swept across his face. "Your report is full of excuses!"

The Emperor rose from his throne. The air around them crackled as he slowly descended the steps towards his still-kneeling apprentice. "You failed me, Lord Vader," he snarled, seething with contempt. Gnarled fingers raised to point at his servant.

Vader braced himself –

The scream still erupted from his throat as the Force lightning tore violently into him.

On and on, without mercy, without reprieve. Over the years Sidious had developed the horrifying ability to accurately direct the Force lightning, inflicting pain to living parts of his body whilst avoiding the electrical circuits of his life-support suit. As the terrible energy poured into him, Vader protected his love for his son for as long as he could. But eventually, the pain became too much, consumed him, and he forgot all else.

Fury billowed out in thunderous clouds, a giant whirlwind with Vader in the eye of the storm. Sidious sneered in cruel satisfaction as he sent forth the last bolt of lightning. Since Bespin Vader hadn't quite been himself, seeming troubled by his encounter with his son. But whatever had ailed him, whatever had softened and weakened him, had now been expelled. His formidable apprentice had returned. Sidious turned his back on the near-unconscious body and departed from the private throne room, his mind already focusing on other matters.

Excruciating pain saturated every living cell in Vader's body, magnifying his wrath, dark and corruptive. The Dark Side swelled within him, intensifying, overwhelming him. Blind with rage, he reached for the reason for all this agony –

* * *

Lightyears away, the words died in Luke's mouth as he gasped, pain shooting through him. His whole body shuddered, his limbs trembled, all his muscles seized up. He felt intense, burning pain – then a familiar brush against his mind –

* * *

– Vader felt his son's presence and sent forth his blazing fury, swelling and billowing into the ultimate pinnacle –

* * *

– a dark, raging inferno – '_Father!_' Luke cried out desperately –

* * *

– '_Father!_' – and abruptly, the Dark Side dissipated.

* * *

Gradually, as if waking from a deep sleep, it registered that somebody was calling his name. It was faint, as if from a great distance, but then it became louder. And louder, much louder – until it was deafening. He groaned.

"Luke!" Leia. He would know her voice anywhere.

"Shh," he murmured. "Too loud."

"Luke, what happened? What's wrong?" Thankfully she was quieter now but still sounded desperately worried.

He made an unintelligible sound as he opened his eyes. The pain was easing rapidly, and in seconds there was nothing. Other than the adrenaline surging through his veins, he felt fine. He sat up.

"I'm fine," he said in confusion as he wondered how he had ended up lying on the floor. Then his brain caught up with him and he remembered – his father in great pain, the Dark Side surging…

_No…!_

That wasn't the Vader who had let them escape earlier, or even the Vader he had faced on Bespin. It was a Vader wholly immersed in the Dark Side. There was no regard for his son, only eternal darkness, twisted hate.

Not even a day ago Luke thought they had connected on some level, if only for a few brief minutes, as they flew together. Had he lost his father again? Already? Were they worlds apart again?

His memory stirred. Just before he lost consciousness, something had changed. Did the terrible evil recede? Or had he imagined that? He couldn't be sure. He closed his eyes, unable to bear the thought of losing his father again when they had only just found each other. He had to see him. Somehow, he had to see his father.

* * *

Vader collapsed as the door hissed shut. It had been a torturous walk to his shuttle, trying to mask the pain with every agonising step. Fortunately the pilots assigned to his personal shuttle were accustomed to his dark moods and thought nothing of their uncommunicative commander. They were competent enough to know when he wished to return to the _Executor_ without being instructed.

_Luke..._ Yet again, he was overcome with remorse. At the height of the pain, he had reached out to the only good thing in his life. He had reached for his precious son, had directed his terrible rage at him. Sitting on the floor in his private cabin, he clutched his helmeted head in his hands. What his son must think of him now!

He knew Luke had saved him. The boy had called out to him as he teetered on the brink, taming his wild fury with a single word, dragged him back from the pivotal moment of being utterly lost to the Dark Side without conscious thought or free will. He had to reassure Luke that it was still him, the same father who had vowed to make amends. He reached out again, tenderly this time, stretched out his senses – but try as he might, his present connection with the Force was too tenuous to bridge the vast distance separating them. He remained on the fringes of the Dark Side, unable to bring himself to fully grasp the vile energy.

This couldn't go on. He couldn't – _wouldn't!_ – keep hurting his son every time the Dark Side took over! He had thought that he could make things right. He so desperately wanted to. But something had to change, he knew that now.

For the very first time in his entire existence as Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader dared to look where he dared not go. With an almost shy, sidelong glance, he looked to the Light Side of the Force.

Peace! How peaceful! The calm, serene flow of energy soothed his tormented soul, a warm breath of life that chased away the shadows of despair encroaching on his troubled mind. It was enriching, and so familiar, like a long lost friend. It gave life, it gave hope.

Stirred by the long forgotten feeling of the pure, living Force, faces he had either forgotten over time or buried deep in the darkest recesses of his mind now drifted into his vision – his dear mother, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and his beautiful, beloved angel. Tears pricked his eyes. And then Anakin –

He reeled, shuddering back to reality. Suddenly, it was so brutally clear. Anakin Skywalker – legendary Jedi Knight, guardian of peace and justice, husband and father. Darth Vader – terrifying Dark Lord, herald of doom, murderer of younglings.

He froze, horror-struck, as he realised what he had become.


	5. First steps

Hello everyone!

Sorry to have kept you waiting with this update, I've been rushed off my feet the last few weeks.

A big THANK YOU! as ever for all your reviews, you've made me so happy with all your great comments! It's really encouraging to hear that you are enjoying it. There has also been some mixed reception to "Kara", I'll be interested to see how this goes as we progress!

Anyway, here we go with the next part of the story! :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 5. First steps  
**

Vader had no idea how much time had passed since the shuttle's engines had powered down, but eventually he became aware of a faint shimmer of light through his closed eyelids. It registered so gradually through his exhausted mind that he couldn't tell when he had first noticed it. But even then he paid it no heed, hoping that whatever it was would disappear and leave him alone. He was numb all over and had little energy left to deal with anything else.

Whatever it was, it was persistent. He ignored it for as long he could until he found it required more effort to ignore it than to just see what it was. He finally conceded defeat and wearily opened his eyes.

He initially doubted his sanity. He blinked, several times, and peered disbelievingly at the shimmering, transparent form sitting cross-legged on the floor before him.

"Obi-Wan?"

The apparition smiled, an expression of great compassion and sorrow. "Hello, old friend."

Obi-Wan looked the same as when they had last faced each other, ravaged by the passage of time – although now his features were relaxed, at peace. And rather luminous. Vader felt no rage or hate at the sight of his old master as he would have just a few months ago. As with so many things these days, there was only terrible, heart-rending regret. Once upon a time, he would have willingly laid down his life for Obi-Wan. After Mustafar, however, after the darkness had claimed him, the close bond they once shared had been shattered and he desired only to hunt and slaughter, until he had finally succeeded in that quest on the doomed Death Star.

"But I killed you," he said, almost choking on the words.

"Yes, you did," Obi-Wan replied without any trace of resentment. "But I merely became one with the Force."

Vader dropped his head backwards and his helmet hit the metal wall behind with a loud clunk. "Things must have moved on since my time..." he muttered. He had never known it was possible for someone's consciousness to remain intact after passing into the Force.

"I learned much from Qui-Gon during my years on Tatooine."

Vader's head came up. "Qui-Gon?" Then the rest of Obi-Wan's words registered. "Tatooine? What in the Force were you doing there?"

Obi-Wan's expression morphed into an odd mixture of affection and weariness. "I was watching over Luke."

Vader's gaze sharpened – so Obi-Wan had been the one to take and hide his son from him! _He_ was the reason Vader had lived without knowledge of Luke's existence for so long! And yet, even as jealous protectiveness welled up within him, so did a surprising amount of relief. If Vader had raised Luke then there would only have been one outcome for the boy, one which the new Vader couldn't wish for. Obi-Wan, faithful to Anakin to the last, had protected the son of Skywalker from sharing Vader's fate.

"Thank you," he said eventually, with genuine gratitude. He had closed his eyes again and didn't see the surprise flicker across Obi-Wan's face at this unexpected response.

"You are most welcome, Anakin," his old master replied softly.

_Anakin_. The name rang in his head. Unexpectedly, there was no anger, no bitterness, at hearing his former name. Only a horrible sense of grief. All that he had once been, all that he had lost – it was a devastating thought. And on top of it all, to realise that he hadn't even been fit to be Luke's father... Vader expelled a bone-weary sigh. "I should never have been born," he murmured.

"You should never think like that, Anakin," Obi-Wan rebuked. "Whatever mistakes you have made, wishing you had not been born is never the way to deal with it. If you realise the error of your ways, then make amends. Put things right."

Vader turned to his shining visitor. "I don't know what you're trying to suggest, Obi-Wan. I destroyed the Jedi Order. I helped Sidious tear down the Republic and become the Emperor. I have murdered... too many innocents to count. There is _nothing_ that could atone for twenty-two years of evil!"

Obi-Wan listened to the outburst with his characteristically unflappable calm. "Perhaps, perhaps not. But does that mean you won't try?"

Vader didn't have the energy to consider such a vast undertaking and dropped his head back on the wall again. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a mantra that had once been so familiar came back to life – _Do, or do not. There is no try_…

"When you promised Luke that you would make amends, what did you have in mind?" Obi-Wan pressed.

The armoured giant shook his head at his own folly. "I intended to overthrow Sidious then hand the Empire over to the Alliance." He stared down at his hands. "I wanted to give him freedom," he added quietly, almost to himself.

"Well, that's a start."

"No, it's foolish. I will not turn Luke to the Dark Side, and without the Dark Side it's impossible to destroy Sidious. He is too powerful."

A smile played on the corner of Obi-Wan's mouth and Vader glared at him. "I fail to see what is so amusing."

"You, citing the impossible – when here you are, turning from the Dark Side as no Sith has ever done before."

Vader shook his head. "I have tried to expel the Dark Side, but I cannot. It is still very much a part of me."

"But you love your son. That is not the heart of a Sith."

Vader couldn't think how to argue with that.

"Anakin, there has never been a Jedi or Sith who has simultaneously used both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force. Somehow, you wield the Dark Side but you have returned from the abyss, you're no longer consumed by it. You bask in your son's bright presence and it doesn't burn you. Right now, you are residing in both worlds. No sentient being has ever done that before." His blue-grey eyes regarded Vader in wonder. "You have brought balance to the Force, Anakin. You are, indeed, the Chosen One."

"No, you were right on Mustafar," Vader protested, admitting what he could not see at the time. "I joined the Sith, left the Force in darkness."

"Perhaps that was the destiny of the Chosen One. If you had not fallen, then you could not know the Dark Side. It may have been necessary to bring true balance to the Force."

Vader sighed, still disagreeing but feeling too exhausted to keep arguing.

"Anyway, time will tell," Obi-Wan said, brushing the prophesy aside with a shimmery wave of his hand. "The important question is, what will you do now?"

As Vader clearly hesitated, Obi-Wan leaned forwards to capture his attention. This was a pivotal moment, its consequences vast and far-reaching. "The deeds committed by Darth Vader cannot be undone. But now that you have seen the error of your ways, what path will you choose? Can you bring yourself to face the galaxy once more, as Anakin Skywalker?"

There it was, his old master had once again seen right to the crux of the matter. To admit to the galaxy that Anakin Skywalker had fallen and was the man inside the suit of Darth Vader, to account for the unspeakable acts of evil? The thought antagonised his pride – the same streak of arrogance that Chancellor Palpatine had utilised to lure in his younger self, a sense of self-importance that still existed despite the remarkable level of transformation he had already gone through. However, from much, much deeper within him came his saving grace – his love for his son, literally the light of his life. There was _nothing_ he would not do for Luke. And it was for his son that he now put aside his pride. Twenty-two years after he had turned his back on the Jedi, he finally learned the lesson of humility.

"I am Anakin," he said.

And just like that, a huge weight lifted right off his shoulders. The sense of freedom was indescribable! Gone were the shackles and limitations of the Dark Side, and all of a sudden the prospect of attempting the impossible wasn't so daunting. As Anakin, it was within his power to begin climbing the enormous mountain of making amends. One step after another, his mind's eye followed the open path that now revealed itself before him. Anakin Skywalker – former Jedi Knight, former Dark Lord of the Sith, currently an extraordinary, entirely novel combination of both – smiled.

"I must tell Luke," he said.

Obi-Wan wasn't surprised that this was his foremost thought. "Anakin," he said, "will you trust me again, as you once did?"

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan – his oldest, truest friend. "Of course."

"Before you contact Luke, there is somewhere you should go. There is something I need to show you."

"But –"

"Your son has not lost faith in you," Obi-Wan interrupted, "And he is strong, he will manage for a few days. This is important."

Anakin still hesitated, not from lack of trust in Obi-Wan but from the overwhelming desire to reassure Luke that his father was not lost. After their last mental contact, who knew what the boy must be thinking.

Those wise, grey-blue eyes regarded him softly. "Anakin, trust me."

* * *

There were noises outside. Anakin felt Piett's nervous presence outside the door and mused how the senior officers might have drawn lots to see who should brave the krayt dragon's den. After Obi-Wan's departure Anakin had discovered that his respirator had a slight malfunction, and an hour later he was still sitting on the floor. He could have used the Force to perform the minor repairs but the seclusion had been a welcome boon in allowing him to start planning his next steps. Vader never loitered in the _Lamba_ shuttle after returning to the _Executor_ and no doubt his prolonged stay had concerned the crew enough to come and seek him out.

His brief amusement at the officers' quandary promptly gave way to self-reproach, however. There was much that needed to change.

There were three quiet but firm knocks on the door. "Lord Vader?" Piett called.

Anakin remained silent, saving his breath.

Piett slowly counted to ten then turned to the stormtroopers beside him. "Stand guard by the ramp," he ordered. "Come if I summon you, otherwise wait there."

There was a pause – Anakin imagined the troopers saluting – then several pairs of boots marched away.

Now alone in the passageway leading to the cabin, Piett knocked again. "Lord Vader, may I assist?"

Carefully worded – not 'may I assist _you_'. After there was still no response, Piett said, "Lord Vader, please forgive the intrusion. I am opening the door."

Piett had clearance to override security codes in case of emergency and he clearly deemed this to be such a case. When the door hissed open, he froze.

Lord Vader was sitting collapsed on the floor of the small cabin, his legs stretched out before him. The respirator wheezed with each breath, clearly faulty. His helmet rested against the wall, turned towards the door – watching him.

Witnessing the Dark Lord in such an obviously weakened state was tantamount to a death warrant, and there was a split second when Piett was instinctively torn whether to stay or run. Fight or flight.

Shortly after the Battle of Hoth, as he went to report to Vader in his hyperbaric chamber, Piett had caught a glimpse of the horrific scars that lay beneath that black helmet and he knew that the Dark Lord had been severely injured at some point in the past. If he walked away now, there was a possibility that the life-support suit would fail and his commander would die. After the briefest moment when he was suspended in indecision, Piett found himself resigning himself to the inevitable. His fate was sealed but he would serve his last act of duty with dignity before his execution.

Anakin recognised great bravery in the man as Piett stepped into the room and sealed the door shut behind him.

"My lord?" he asked simply.

Now that the man was here, Anakin decided to make use of him. "The panel to your left," he said. Piett turned and flicked it open to reveal a small cabinet containing a couple of tool cases and some emergency liquid rations.

"Bring the top case," Anakin added, then proceeded to direct him in removing and recalibrating his respirator's overcharged neural interface chip. Much to his credit, Piett remained stoically professional as he worked to repair his executioner.

Minutes later Anakin could breathe again. Oxygen filtered back into what remained of his biological arms and legs, and mobility gradually returned. It was as Piett put down the sonic welder and was sliding the repaired chip back into the control panel on his chest that the Admiral suddenly froze. Anakin glanced at him and the man's thoughts leapt out at him through the Force. _The Emperor!_

Piett had been pondering on what could have reduced the fearsome Dark Lord to such a state. It was so obvious, and yet the thought had never occurred to him. Numerous theories abound in the Imperial Navy as to how the Emperor managed to keep control of the powerful Dark Lord, and yet the simplest answer remained the most elusive – Vader was a Sith Lord, and if the Emperor was his master then the Emperor was also a Sith Lord.

"Yes, Admiral. It was the Emperor, as punishment for my failure at Yavin 13."

Piett swallowed visibly. It wasn't in surprise that the Dark Lord was reading his mind, that was a given. What startled him was his usually reticent commander being so forthcoming.

Anakin closed up his chest-worn control panel. He rose to his full height and stared down at Piett for several long seconds, appraising him. Eventually, he came to a decision and asked, "Do you have children, Admiral Piett?"

Piett blanched. Was Vader threatening them? No matter how much he searched the black mask, he could not tell. "Two daughters," he said eventually, reluctantly. The details were in his personnel files anyway, if the Dark Lord cared to look. "And a son on the way."

Anakin felt a pang of sorrow at those words. "Do you care for your family?"

Piett still had no idea where this was going. "Yes, very much."

"Is there anything you would not do for them?"

"No, my lord," he said nervously.

"If the Emperor ordered you to sacrifice one of your children, to die in service to the Empire, would you obey?"

Piett's eyes widened, then his gaze became hard. His reply was quiet but firm. "No, my lord. I would not."

The black mask stared at him for several long seconds, then said, "Luke Skywalker is my son."

Piett felt as if the ground had disappeared from beneath him. The infamous rebel pilot, the alleged Jedi, was Lord Vader's son! His commander's obsession in finding Skywalker was so clear now. And yet, some things didn't make sense –

"Until he destroyed the Death Star," Anakin said, answering his unspoken questions, "I believed he had perished before he was born. When I knew he lived, I sought to bring him to my side." He paused. This was the moment of no return. "The Emperor wishes me to bring Skywalker before him. But I will _never_ deliver my son into slavery."

Piett was struck by his commander's vehemence and saw a whole new level to Darth Vader's identity. He would never in a million years have guessed the Dark Lord to be a father, and such a protective one at that – admittedly rather more terrifying than Piett would be if he was defending his own children, but no less determined. He suddenly had the outlandish notion that Vader might have doomed the Yavin 13 mission deliberately – the subtle nod of the helmeted head confirmed it and left him bowled over. Lord Vader, the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, second in command of the whole Empire, had deliberately failed his mission in order to save his rebel son!

Slavery, Vader had said. Was that what his commander's life was? The Dark Lord had authority and power, to be sure, an elevated status almost unrivalled at the Emperor's right hand. But at what price? Piett had been serving under Vader for close to five years, and in that time he had observed his commander rush to the Emperor's beck and call time and time again. There had also been a few occasions when Vader had returned from his audience with the Emperor and shut himself up in his chambers for many hours. Piett had now seen one possible reason why. And this time, the punishment had been brought about for refusing to deliver Skywalker – his son! – to his master.

Years ago, Piett had originally enlisted with the Imperial Navy out of a desire to preserve peace and order. The Empire he observed, however, began to deviate increasingly from his concept of justice. There was no fair and just leader, only callous dictatorship. Injustice, persecution and cruelty run riot. He had been on the verge of leaving service when, with the worst possible timing, he had been assigned to the _Executor_. Resigning on the eve of accepting his supposedly enviable promotion would have appeared the action of a rebel sympathiser and he had been forced to bide his time. His wife had mourned when he departed for his first six-month duty, knowing Vader's reputation and believing she would never see him again. Piett had been terrified too, but what he had learned took him by surprise. Vader was certainly a difficult commander to serve who rewarded failure and ineptitude with death, but equally he recognised and rewarded competence. He led from the front line, never shirking from duty, and was a brilliant strategist. He was fair in his own way, within an absolute sense of black and white, and never unnecessarily cruel. Other than his tendency to be rather heavy-handed in dispensing discipline, Vader had unexpectedly turned out to be what he had originally envisaged the Emperor to be – a keeper of peace and order.

And now to find that Vader had protected his son even knowing what his master would do to him – it was no less than what Piett would do himself. If ordered to hand over his children to the evil and cruelty he had witnessed of the Emperor, he would walk out immediately and sign up with the rebellion.

This was a commander he would much rather serve, Piett thought. It was a shame he was about to die.

Anakin swept the tools back into their case and into the cabinet with one Force-wave of the hand. "I must contact the Emperor. Return to the bridge, Admiral," he ordered as kindly as his vocaliser would allow. He had gained an important ally today.

Piett blinked as Vader swept out of the cabin. Scarcely able to believe that the Dark Lord would trust him with such a dangerous secret, it took him a moment to realise that, for the second time, he was not going to die after all. His personal loyalty to Vader began firmly taking root, and he marched smartly from the shuttle after his commander.

* * *

Palpatine was immensely displeased at being called out of his private dinner function by Vader's insistent requests and he didn't bother to hide it.

"What is so urgent, Lord Vader?" he spat irritably at the kneeling hologram. "Are you still unclear as to your duties?"

"Forgive the interruption, my master," Vader replied briskly as he rose unbidden to his feet.

Palpatine noticed immediately that both his tone of voice and body language were all business and decidedly unapologetic, a throwback to the younger, prouder Vader. It was appropriate for the Dark Lord 'rejuvenated' by his earlier punishment.

Vader said, "We will be able to crush the rebellion in its entirety within a few short weeks, but the method is unorthodox." He then proceeded to detail how they could gather all key rebel figures in one place, as well as obtaining the locations of many of the rebel bases, so that they could all be blown to oblivion.

Palpatine quickly found his foul mood vastly improved. The plan was certainly unconventional but brilliant in its simplicity, and it would also serve to send an unmistakeable message to anyone else even dreaming of rebelling against his Empire. Furthermore, his own designs would fit perfectly within the scheme. "If this works, my friend, you will have earned my forgiveness."

Vader bowed slightly at the permission to proceed, then added, "Before this operation is put into motion, master, I request ten days' leave."

Palpatine immediately scowled and fell silent. Vader was perfectly aware that he was treading on thin ice. Adjourning from duty now of all times was simply preposterous.

Vader hesitated uncomfortably. "Recent… _events_ have significantly diminished my capabilities, both physically and in the Force. I would request time to recover before we seek the end of the rebellion."

Highly dubious, Sidious stretched his senses out to the _Executor_ still orbiting Imperial Center. He easily located his apprentice who reluctantly submitted to the inspection. The Dark Side shrouding Vader was wavering, rendered unstable by his tenuous link on the Force and made even more insecure by his physical exhaustion and frailty. The after-effects of the Force lightning were clearly having more of an impact as the years passed – his apprentice was growing old.

Sidious hated the thought of allowing any respite, but it was preferable to risking failure because Vader was too weak. Huffing in annoyance, he went for a compromise.

"You may rest for five days, Lord Vader, then there will be no more delays. We will finally put an end to this rebellion and be done with it."

"As you wish," Vader said, kneeling as the Emperor's hologram faded.

Minutes later, Darth Vader was seen boarding his _Lambda_ shuttle accompanied by Admiral Piett and a squad of stormtroopers. They travelled to the acid-rain soaked planet of Vjun where they disappeared into Vader's heavily defended, private fortress. A short while later the group returned, without the Dark Lord, to the _Executor_ which had dry-docked at Bannistar. The Admiral then spent several minutes in private communication with Vader before briefing the other commanding officers of the _Executor_'s assignment for the ensuing days. Palpatine received the report from his spies aboard the Imperial Navy's flagship and, satisfied that his apprentice was safely ensconced at Bast Castle and not up to anything untoward at this present time, resumed conversing with his greedy, sycophantic advisors.

* * *

Far on the other side of the galaxy, the real Anakin was just arriving in the Subterrel sector. It had been remarkably easy to slip away from the _Executor_ undetected. In his Xg-1 Star Wing from his personal starfighter collection modified for increased speed and acceleration, he had hidden in the shadow of a large crew transport which he had programmed the _Executor_'s traffic control computers not to scan too carefully. Once a safe distance away from his flagship, he had simply plotted an alternative course and split off from the lumbering transport. With several officers overhearing Piett complaining to Commander Gherant about being warned in no uncertain terms of his fate should he impose on the Dark Lord's solitude again, nothing short of the Emperor himself dropping by at his supposedly secret fortress should expose the ruse. The modified duelling droid donning one of his spare suits complete with eternal repetitions of the sound of his respirator would continue to play its part until Piett went to greet 'Lord Vader' again in five days.

Anakin spun and dodged his way past the smaller, outer asteroids until he reached the largest rock, Polis Massa. It was the size of a small moon, though somewhat misshapen due to its explosive origin when a natural cataclysm had split the original planet into an asteroid field. He recalled this was where the Death Star schematics had been tracked just over three years ago, when the 501st Legion's raid on the small rebel outpost produced only a decoy holodisk of the plans. The rebels had smuggled out the real information, leading to the destruction of the moon-sized space station.

Obi-Wan's directions led him to the Local Dig, a large excavation facility which had been left untouched in those raids. Scans revealed it lay above an extensive system of ruins of what must have once been a great city.

As he circled the area at a loss as to where he should go next, a series of landing beacons flashed on and pointed him towards a small hangar opening up further ahead. Sensing no threat, he accepted the obvious invitation and flew into the hangar.

As he leaped down from the cockpit he was met by two Kallidahins. Red and black pairs of eyes regarded him out of otherwise featureless faces.

"Welcome," came a disembodied voice.

"Who are you?" came another.

These two must have been among the few of the race who could speak. He looked from one to the other, and hesitated only for a second. Obi-Wan had sent him here, he knew what to say. "Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

There was an unexpected brush against his mind as they employed their mild telepathic ability to discern whether he spoke the truth. He sensed their satisfaction, and also noticed how they did not seem at all concerned by his ominous appearance in the mask and suit.

"Welcome, Anakin Skywalker." The shorter, slightly bulkier one with the red eyes indicated himself with one of his four, long fingers. "I am Maneeli Tuun. This," he said, indicating his thinner friend with the black eyes, "is Osh Scal. This way, Anakin Skywalker. We are ready for you."

"Ready?" he repeated blankly. He was completely at a loss, but nevertheless he followed the Kallidahins as they slowly made their way through a myriad of tunnels.

"Master Kenobi told us you would have questions," continued the calm, soothing voice Anakin was beginning to recognise as Tuun's.

Obi-Wan said? Anakin had no idea what was going on. "How did you know I was coming?" he asked.

"It was never a certainty, but we have always been prepared. Master Kenobi made the request several years ago, and we are glad to have been of service to our friend." They turned off into a side-tunnel which, from the lack of footprints in the soil, was little used. Tuun began leading them down a long series of steps, carved roughly into the dry earth.

"When exactly was several years ago?" Anakin asked.

It was Scal who replied, "It is now approaching fourteen years."

Anakin quickly converted the Polis Massan years into standard – that was over twenty years ago! He found his hands shaking. "And what did Master Kenobi ask you to do?"

Tuun headed off the stairs to a wide passageway that was blocked off by a pair of shiny, airtight doors which clearly did not look as if they belonged on an archaeological dig. Long fingers flew over a security access panel built into the rocky wall and the doors slid open silently.

"He asked us to prepare this," Tuun finally answered as he waved the armoured giant through.

Vader stepped on to the pristine, white floor and approached the second set of doors facing them. As he saw what lay beyond the translucent panels, his steps faltered.

Hidden deep in the disused section of the excavation site was a fully functioning medical facility. Several 2-1B surgical droids and GH-7 surgical assistance droids stood ready by a large operating table, with numerous medical machines lining the walls and a large bacta tank standing ready in one corner. Some of the equipment looked their age in terms of outward design, but they all seemed to be in perfect working order. Twenty years ago, they would have been state of the art in the field of medical technology.

For a long time he was too shocked to speak. "What –?" he began.

"For the safety of the other individuals who were involved, we cannot yet explain to you how this facility was established. If the risk passes in the future, we will be glad to impart the details." Tuun tilted his head in a remarkably human gesture and continued, "I can tell you, however, that this facility was specifically designed for you. Master Kenobi informed us of your injuries, and we have worked with the Kaminoans and with our own physicians and xenobiologists to prepare for several possible remedies and operations you may wish for. Of course, you may have undergone improved care since your initial sub-standard treatment so these may now not be necessary. In any event, we have immensely enjoyed the study of human medicine and cybernetics to add to our xenobiology database."

"What… operations?" Anakin asked, fearing the answer and barely able to speak.

"Our much improved prosthetic limbs and neural interfaces would provide enhanced mobility, and skin and tissue treatment would significantly reduce scar tissue from burn damage. However, the most involved procedure would be a combination of replacing the first to fourth vertebrae prosthetics, and treatment of the spinal cord as well as the lung passage and alveoli. Although very extensive and invasive, this procedure will enable you to breathe as an uninjured human without need of a respirator. Do you wish to undergo these procedures?"

The world spun. Anakin braced himself with a gloved hand on the wall.

To be free of the damnable mask…?

To breathe, by himself...?

Tuun already knew his answer. "We are ready to proceed, Anakin Skywalker."

* * *

Kara, as she was currently called, lingered casually in the alcove. She was listening, as ever, to anything and everything she could hear and storing them in the back of her mind for later referral. Two supply officers strolled past.

"I'm telling you, we can assign extra rations to all personnel now," one of them said, nodding to her absent-mindedly in greeting. He saw her check her chronowatch then peer down the corridor looking half-bored, half-irritated, and he dismissed her from his mind.

"It won't last, I know it won't," his friend grumbled. "This is just a phase we're going through, it's too bizarre."

As soon as they had turned the bend and were out of sight, she hoisted up the coil of cables resting by her feet and hurried down the corridor in the opposite direction. She repeated the same façade as several others passed by, but after a few minutes she reached the Command Centre. The large, custom-fitted room adjoined the bridge of _Home One_, the Mon Calamari cruiser now serving as a temporary base of operations until the next planet-side headquarters had been established.

It was only a short wait until the doors swished open and she simply walked in, her tread purposeful and important. With a proficient slight of hand she whisked up a comlink headset resting by a vacant console and slipped them on. Wearing the off-duty technician's jacket procured earlier and with replacement cables coiled around one shoulder, she was just another rebel in a bustling room full of technicians. With absolute assurance she moved from console to console, nodding to the controllers who monitored them as she attached her personally modified remote slicers to several of the feed cables under the guise of checking them over. Although only able to record data and required later retrieval, the remote slicers had the advantage of being unaffected by socketguards. Their lack of signals also meant they would be undetected unless somebody took a close look under the console. She simply replaced the headset on her way out of the Command Center, and further down the corridor she dropped into the supply room to return the borrowed jacket and cables as if they had never been touched.

She was approaching the lifts to return to the lower levels when the doors opened before her and Skywalker stepped out. She forcibly suppressed the strange flurry that persistently stirred within her whenever she saw him, and focused on mentally blending in with the people around her. It was a skill she had developed early on in her training, where she put her line of thought and level of attention on a par with those around her, and she somehow managed to become less conspicuous to Force-sensitives who were on alert for anything unusual. As several humans and Mon Calamari stepped back to allow the Jedi to pass, staring with wide eyes and bowing respectfully, she did the same with as much awe as she could muster. Only when he was out of sight and she deemed him far enough away did she allow her true feelings to surface. Her face scrunched in disgust.

Skywalker had been investigating something ever since the Yavin 13 evacuation – looking for her, most likely – and she'd had several close calls as he searched throughout the fleet. There was no logical reason in her role as hangar deck support officer to be roaming all corners of the Mon Calamari cruiser and she'd had to employ all her ingenuity and stealth training to evade notice when he'd been too close on her tail on the upper decks. Fortunately, his frequent returns to _Home One_ meant they often crossed paths in the hangar so she had no need to fabricate a reason for approaching him. But unfortunately, he was tight-lipped on the subject of her primary objective and she had been unable to determine anything on the nature of his relationship with Vader. There was also the added disadvantage of the completely alien and incomprehensible effect the man had on her.

She'd been extremely guarded around him ever since she had made a fool of herself during their first meeting, but even so, her concentration seemed to slip despite her best efforts and her usually vibroblade-sharp mind became just a little sluggish. Matters had not been helped when she had happened across him in the middle of some lightsaber drills several days ago. She had been stealthily navigating some engineering shafts as she sought a way into Mothma's private quarters, when she had caught sight of him through a grill-meshed access point. He moved with the fluid grace of a master, and her trained eye could tell that his movements were economical but highly effective, producing great power when he wished with minimal physical exertion. His face was passive, but with bright blue eyes utterly focused. _I'm just studying his form_, she had told herself firmly as she watched him feint and lunge, parry and riposte with an imaginary opponent. Before meeting him she would have sworn blind that she could pit her own phenomenal combat skills against any Jedi tricks he might throw at her, but now, for reasons she couldn't fathom, the sheer sight of him made her heart beat faster and her movements tighter, less fluid.

Things had become even more complicated by her time on the hangar floor. The deck technicians, engineers and other pilots, eager for a new audience, had regaled her with tales of his gallantry and skill. She didn't care for how he had supposedly beaten whole armies of stormtroopers single-handedly or brought down a fleet of Star Destroyers with just his lone X-wing, knowing such stories would be wildly exaggerated. What did make an impression on her, however, was hearing each and every person of all the sentient races she had encountered speak with such awe and respect of how he risked his own life without a second's hesitation to protect them. They were unanimous in their insistence that he never, ever, left a man, woman or child behind. It all combined to hint at the man behind the famous name, building an image of his character in her mind. And the more she tried to force him from her mind, the more he popped up in her thoughts. And the more she thought of him, the less she could concentrate. He made her lose her edge.

It was unacceptable. There was no need to imagine her master's reproach, she berated herself amply for the both of them for her lapse in focus and control. She had a mission – no, it was more than that, so much more. Her life had a purpose, a service of the highest honour and duty. And no _Jedi_ would stop her.

As she reached the hangar she made her way over to the _Falcon_. Earlier she was fortunate to overhear Lando mention that they would be following up another lead on Boba Fett. As expected, the Wookiee was howling in frustration as he rushed through last-minute repairs on the modified freighter. She shook her head. What they saw in that dilapidated piece of junk, she hadn't a clue. Without any exertion she strolled up the lowered ramp, planted a few bugs inside, then casually strolled back out, completely unobserved.

As she was leaving the hangar she felt an intuitive prick of alarm, a gut feeling that had often saved her in the past. She rushed into a side corridor, then nonchalantly walked back out just as Lando arrived at the intersection.

"Oh, hi, Lando," she said with innocent surprise as they almost collided. "I came to ask if you or Chewie wanted to play sabacc?"

"Shame but we can't, we're off on a mission soon." He saw her face drop in disappointment and added with a grin, "Don't worry, you can lose your money when we get back."

She laughed. "You mean _you_ can."

"We'll see about that," he retorted good-naturedly.

"Hey, anything I can do to help?" she asked, waving towards the _Falcon_.

Lando glanced at the roaring Wookiee hacking furiously at some cables with a hydrospanner and gave her a weary look. "You'd probably best stay clear, you know how he gets," he said in an undertone.

She gave him a wry grin. "I sure do. Look, I'll speak to supplies, see if they can't sneak in some Bantha rump for your mission. That should cheer him up."

"Thanks Kara," he said gratefully. "It might also mean he won't tear my arms off in a huff!"

Lando went to try and temper the frustrated Wookiee as Kara headed to the rec room to maintain her guise of playing sabacc if anyone checked up on her. She sighed as she walked away from the hangar. With the singular exception of Skywalker, who was just plain annoying as well as unforgivably being a Jedi, they all seemed like decent people really. It was almost a shame that they were completely disillusioned and fought on the wrong side.

* * *

Even the mere hologram of Darth Vader was terrifying. Accompanied by the backdrop of the enormous Super Star Destroyer visible out of every viewport in the rebel fleet, it was nothing short of a living nightmare.

Since the Yavin 13 evacuation, Luke had spent five, eternal, agitated days fleet-bound at Mothma's insistence searching for the illusive Emperor's Hand, while rebel intelligence failed to find neither hide nor hair of his highly unpredictable father – only for the _Executor_ to suddenly drop out of hyperspace directly in front of the rebel fleet and scare the living daylights out of them all.

Instead of the traditional custom of opening fire and releasing a torrent of TIE fighters, the oversized flagship had simply erected shields and withstood the reflexive bombardment from the Mon Calamari cruisers and two of the Nebulon-B frigates courtesy of 'Varykino'. Then somebody had noticed that the _Executor_ was hailing them, and when Mothma had finally decided that they should answer the communication, without any warning, the Dark Lord himself had appeared over the hololink in his full deathly regalia. Dozens of saucer-wide eyes stared at the life-sized, translucent blue image looming before them in the Command Center.

Their last mental communication had not been on the best of terms, to put it mildly, and for a dreadful moment Luke wondered if Darth Vader the Sith Lord had come to capture him. But then his father reached out to him, the mental link laden with love, concern and regret, and his anxieties were swept aside in one fell swoop.

'_Son_…'

'_Father_…'

Two simple words, with so much meaning. A reaffirmation of their relationship, and such indescribable relief that the other had not deserted them. Luke was so overcome that he stood stock still in the Command Center where he and the Alliance leaders had been assembled, not even occurring to him to race for his X-wing as would have been the usual response.

There was a nervous delay as the leaders huddled together, murmuring amongst themselves. When Mothma looked expectantly at the group around her, the others immediately and unanimously shook their heads. They then continued to nod or shake their heads at each other for a while.

'_Why don't _you_ speak to me, son_?' Vader suggested mentally as he waited. Although the field limiter meant he could not see into the room, he knew that the rebel leaders would be deliberating as to who would pose the lowest risk in revealing themselves whilst still being of sufficient rank to speak on their behalf.

Luke fought a grin at his impatience. '_I _am_ speaking to you, father_,' he replied, deliberately mistaking his meaning.

'_Very funny_,' Vader sent. He could hardly believe that they were sharing this light-hearted moment. He had changed so much in just a few short months, and he infinitely preferred this happier connection with his son. Luke caught the sentiment and heartily agreed. Warmth bubbled along their link.

"Lord Vader," Leia said scathingly as she finally stepped onto the holoprojection pod. "What an unexpected displeasure."

Luke sensed his father's mental sigh before the hologram replied. "Your Highness," Vader said with a civil nod of the head. "Do you intend to continue firing on my ship while we converse?"

She clearly hesitated. Admittedly the _Executor_ hadn't blasted at them yet, but holding fire against any Imperial ship let alone the Super Star Destroyer ran against every rebel's instinct. She glanced surreptitiously to the side and deferred the decision to Mon who nodded to her out of view of the holocamera. To conceal the possibility of there being other leaders on board, she turned to General Madine and gave the order she knew he was perfectly capable of making himself.

"Order all Alliance ships to hold fire. Starfighters withdraw but keep formation. Maintain all shields." The turbolaser fire died down after a few seconds and there was a tense silence as the X-wings hovered close to the rebel warships.

"What can we do for you, Lord Vader?" Leia asked with false congeniality.

"I bear communication from the Emperor," Vader rumbled. "First, to enable the second proposal, he calls a temporary ceasefire between all Imperial and Rebel Alliance ships, effective immediately."

A sceptical buzz spread through the room. Leia held up her hand for silence. "What is the second proposal?"

Vader paused significantly. "The Empire invites you to peace negotiations."

There was instant uproar in the Command Center. The Empire had never approached the negotiation table with a dissident group, and nobody believed it for a second.

Leia again indicated for silence. As people slowly piped down, Luke asked, '_Is this for real?_'

'_Yes and no_,' came the baffling response.

"The Alliance advocates democracy," Leia said once the noise had reduced to a muted buzz. "Unless Palpatine is offering to step down as Galactic Emperor, we have nothing to discuss."

"Doesn't the Alliance also call for peaceful negotiation?" Vader countered. "The Emperor has generously considered several concessions regarding your demands and offers a chance for negotiation. Does the Rebel Alliance refuse to meet?"

Leia's gaze narrowed. "The Alliance has already offered, on several occasions, to meet with the Emperor's representatives and negotiate terms. You may recall it was you who refused outright to do so."

A large, black-gloved hand waved dismissively. "There must have been some lapse in communication. Regardless, the offer for negotiation is now made. Furthermore, all Rebel Alliance negotiators, security and other personnel will be guaranteed safety and immunity for the duration of the talks."

This civil Dark Lord was not one that the rebels were used to and many seemed taken aback at this sensible consideration.

"If we should accept," Leia said, "what assurance do we have that you will not simply renege on your guarantee?"

"I give you my word. You will need to determine for yourself whether the risk is worth taking." Vader also sent to Luke mentally, '_The first meeting, at least, will be safe enough_.'

"If you are in earnest," Leia tested, "you would allow us time to consider this."

"Of course," Vader replied immediately as if he had anticipated this. "Would twenty-two hours suffice?"

Only Luke understood the significance of the apparently random length of time. His heart skipped.

Out of the corner her eye Leia saw Mon nod. "That would be adequate," she confirmed.

"I presume you will wish to relocate while you deliberate, and my ship will also withdraw. Should the Rebel Alliance agree to attend peace negotiations, we will rendez-vous here in twenty-two hours. Your absence will be taken as a sign of refusal and aggressive hostilities will resume immediately."

"Understood," Leia said, fixing him with a steely gaze. "And likewise."

Vader nodded to her then his hologram blinked out.

Luke was just about to reach out to him when Vader beat him to it. His father's fervent voice rang in his head, trembling with powerful emotions.

'_Luke, if you can give me one more chance... It will not be as before, my son. I promise you!_'

Seconds later, true to Vader's word, the _Executor_ leaped into hyperspace and left behind a rebel fleet very much in shock.


	6. The olive branch

Hello again all my enthusiastic reviewers!

You've made me so happy with all your fantastic comments, thank youuu! :) Sorry for the wait with this next chapter, it was actually ready much earlier but it wasn't quite right and I just couldn't bring myself to upload it... I ended up completely rewriting it! Fingers crossed you'll find it was worth the wait!

So, on we go :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** As usual, not mine!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 6. The olive branch  
**

The Theed Royal Palace was a testament to the Naboo's love of culture and artistic expression, the very proof of civilisation's ability to live in harmony with their world. Its many green-domed towers rose up as if out of the rocks themselves, surrounded by lush vegetation and perched atop a plunging cliff-face with a multitude of waterfalls cascading down to the rivers below. Whatever Luke had expected to see in the capital of the Emperor's home planet, this wasn't it.

"Wow," he said, glued to the wide viewport as they sped towards the majestic building.

"Wow," Leia echoed. Although she had seen holograms of it in the past, she was still stunned by the beauty of the Palace and the flourishing river city radiating out from it.

General Madine was silent beside them but his expression, too, was that of wonder.

As they made their way over Theed, they could see flickering movement all over the grounds of the Main Plaza and surrounding streets. It was only when they approached the Palace itself that they realised what they were seeing – hundreds of humans, gungans and various other sentient beings had bravely turned out to welcome the rebel dignitaries, and were being held back by lines of stormtroopers. The press were also out in full force, accompanied by numerous media-cams zipping every which way on tiny hovermotors, recording the extraordinary scene of the people jubilantly waving small Alliance flags.

"I'm guessing this would be thanks to the Freedom Chronicles?" Luke said in amazement.

It had been several days ago that Luke and High Command had been debating the supposed negotiations when an intelligence aide had burst into the conference room and switched on the HoloNet. Imperial HoloVision was one of the largest and most influential providers of news and entertainment in the galaxy, but in the middle of a documentary on the distinguished life and tragic end of the late Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, IHV had inexplicably started broadcasting an anti-Imperial holodrama.

'_THE FREEDOM CHRONICLES_', it had said in gaudy letters at the start of the short cartoon depicting an alternative account of the birth of the Galactic Empire and the nature of the rebellion. Whereas official Imperial accounts cited the Jedi Revolt, where the Jedi had attempted to take over the galaxy and thereby necessitated the Great Jedi Purge and a strong Empire to maintain a safe and secure society, this animated holodrama portrayed Palpatine as an evil Sith Lord who, as Supreme Chancellor, had himself orchestrated the division between the Separatists and the Old Republic which had led to the Clone Wars. As the galaxy was ripped apart by his own designs, he had established the Empire and instated himself as the supreme Galactic Emperor.

'_THE EMPIRE DESTROYED ALDERAAN_', it had said, showing the beautiful planet being blown to smithereens – '_… MURDERED INNOCENTS_', accompanied by a tragic depiction of the Ghorman Massacre – '… _ENSLAVED MILLIONS_', showing species after species of slaves including Wookiees, Mon Calamari, Yuzzem, Chromans, and Twi'leks. '_THE REBELS SAY NO!_' it had then said, before showing the key rebel figures. They were already famous – or infamous, depending on one's political inclination – but this cartoon portrayed them in an entirely new light. Luke was introduced as '_JEDI KNIGHT: THE LEGEND HAS BEGUN_', Leia as **'**_BRAVE HERO OF THE OPPRESSED_', Han was '_THE DARING CAPTAIN_', Chewbacca was '_THE LOYAL AND MIGHTY WOOKIEE_', and Rogue Squadron was '_THE ELITE STARFIGHTER SQUADRON_'. Various images followed where they protected all manner of sentient beings from the evil and cruelty of the Empire.

The holodrama was already in its fourth repetition by the time IHV technicians had been able to regain control of their hijacked broadcast and shut it down, by which time the damage was well and truly done. The HoloNet was plagued with thousands of illegal copies, and numerous still-posters had been plastered on billboards throughout the galaxy. Overnight, the short, simple cartoon had turned the former terrorists into galactic heroes in the eyes of millions of previously loyal Imperial citizens, and cast serious doubt in the minds of trillions of others as to the Empire's credibility.

"Whoever it was, I'm just thankful they were on our side," Leia replied. "Can you imagine the damage if they'd supported the Empire?"

Chewbacca wailed behind her in agreement. As soon as news of the proposed negotiations had reached the _Falcon_ he had promptly dropped their latest search for Boba Fett and flown straight back to the fleet, knowing Leia too well to think she would simply put her hands up and claim it was too risky to get involved. Lando had been adamant that they shouldn't attend – "Vader likes to _alter_ deals," he had insisted, no doubt thinking back to Bespin. The Empire, however, had sent the Alliance written agreements on safety and immunity guarantees, and also released a public statement of the same. Despite having no doubt whatsoever that the Empire was plotting some grand deception, High Command had still felt they was little choice in the matter. Not only would their absence have been extremely damaging for the Alliance's public image, but they also needed to attend even if just to deny the Empire an opportunity to blame the lack of diplomatic negotiations on the Alliance. Besides, except for Luke and Leia, the others had all been curious as to whether their mysterious new benefactor, 'Varykino', might reveal himself.

The Alliance had immediately rejected the prospect of holding the negotiations on Imperial Center and instead suggested the more public but still revered venue of Palpatine's home planet. After much deliberation, the leaders had decided that Leia and Madine would attend the opening meeting, accompanied by Luke – as much for additional security as to represent the Jedi. Arrangements had swiftly been made and rebel intelligence had taken over the search for the Emperor's Hand, so, barely five days after Vader had first extended the invitation, here they were.

Leia was resplendent in her Alderaan white. She turned to the others as the shuttle landed. "Let's see what this circus is all about, shall we?"

* * *

"Representing the Rebel Alliance to Restore the Republic, her Royal Highness, Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, General Crix Madine, and Master Jedi, Commander Luke Skywalker." The announcement brought everyone's attention to the grand doors as they slid open and the Alliance party entered, backed by Chewbacca and the Alliance security detail.

Luke's gaze immediately met those of his father, the obsidian monolith form standing out in sharp relief before the tall windows at the far end of the council room. Luke could count all their encounters and mental communication to date on one hand, and even in such a small number Vader had veered the full range from protective father to downright murderous. So, despite their last contact being one of the most promising, Luke had no idea what to expect as they now came face to mask for only the second time.

However, barely a moment later he heard in his mind, '_Luke_.'

Vader's joy at seeing his son again seeped through his shielding and washed over Luke, sweeping aside his anxieties in one fell swoop. For that single, brief, harmonious moment, everything else melted away and they were quite simply just father and son.

'_Father_,' Luke sent back, glad of the hood that helped conceal his totally inappropriate expression of joy and relief.

"Representing the fair and just Galactic Empire," the announcement continued, "the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, Lord Darth Vader, and member of the Imperial Ruling Council, Imperial Advisor Lord Ars Dangor. Also in attendance, her Royal Highness, Queen Kylantha."

As the resident monarch of Naboo, Kylantha stepped forward to offer the opening greeting. "Welcome to the Theed Royal Palace," she said austerely. "The Naboo are most honoured that his Imperial Majaesty has generously bestowed upon us the privilege of hosting this historic meeting. May the negotiations make fruitful and positive steps towards peace."

Although Leia didn't hold the same respect for Kylantha as she did several key Nabooan monarchs of old, her expression was perfectly neutral as she replied, "We thank you for the welcome, your Majesty."

Kylantha accepted the thanks with the slightest inclination of her heavily adorned head. "Now, you must excuse me. Lord Vader has expressed his desire to begin negotiations immediately so I must depart."

The Alliance party nodded politely as the Queen departed frostily from her own council room. Vader and Dangor barely paid her any heed.

As soon as the doors had closed behind her, Luke heard his father's voice in his head. '_Reach for your lightsaber, son_.'

Luke sensed no danger, either from Vader or from the stormtroopers lining the walls, but he nevertheless mirrored his father's movements and reached for his utility belt. '_Why?_'

'_Dangor will be reporting back to the Emperor. It would be beneficial if we appeared to be on hostile terms_.'

Their hands closed around the hilts but neither of them detached their lightsabers. '_How so?_' He noticed in his peripheral vision that both Alliance and Imperial parties were tense as they watched the two Force users face off, hands itching to reach for blasters but nobody wanting to be responsible for the breakdown of the fragile ceasefire.

'_There isn't sufficient time to explain. For now, you have to take my word for it_.'

'_You have a lot of explaining to do,_' Luke sent as he continued to mock-glare at the Sith Lord.

'_I know, son_.'

They stared each other down for several more seconds, Anakin noticing how the Jedi robes suited his son and wondering at his new lightsaber, before Luke slowly straightened from his defensive stance and they both eased their hands back down to their sides.

Leia looked sharply from one to the other. "Do you recall your guarantees for our safety during these negotiations, Lord Vader?"

"Fear not, your Highness," Vader rumbled. "Commander Skywalker and I have reached an understanding."

"For the time being," Luke added, playing along and not wanting Dangor to think they were too friendly. The advisor was following their every movement with his hawkish eyes glinting with a touch of insanity.

Vader indicated the large oval table before them and the tension in the room gradually ebbed down. The Imperial and Alliance parties seated themselves on opposite ends, Vader and Leia taking the respective head positions.

"The initial negotiation for peace between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance is now in session," Dangor announced. "This is a time of grave crisis, where the security of our grand Empire's citizens and member worlds is threatened. The Empire has extended an invitation for civilised discussion, and we are most pleased that the Rebel Alliance has accepted. It gives hope for a return to a more peaceful, just society."

There was good reason why Dangor often acted as Palpatine's spokesperson, responsible for conveying important messages such as the dissolution of the Senate to both the public and the moffs and Grand Moffs of the Empire. Like Palpatine he was a charismatic speaker, proficient in employing subtle nuances and owning a voice that invited trust through its expression of absolute conviction. His pale face, framed in a plain, dark head covering that matched his plain, dark robes, was currently etched in grave concern.

Leia utilised her own considerable skills in diplomatic rhetoric as she responded, "The Alliance to Restore the Republic appreciates the Empire hearing our repeated appeals for nonviolent negotiation. It gives hope for a return to a more peaceful, just, _and_ _democratic_ society," she said, amending his own words with subtle emphasis. "Let diplomacy resume."

She never knew the effect of those three words on the Dark Lord. Anakin was reminded of a moment in Padmé's apartment way back when Imperial Center was still known as Coruscant. As the sun was setting behind them, she had asked him to appeal to the Chancellor to stop the fighting and _let diplomacy resume_. Sorrow washed over him.

'_Father? Are you alright?_'

Without turning his head, Anakin glanced at his son. Luke exuded intelligence and calm assurance as he supposedly paid close attention to the opening formalities, and Anakin found himself remarkably soothed.

'_With you as my son,_' he replied, '_I am more than alright_.'

Safely concealed within his mask, he grinned outright as he watched Luke struggle to contain a smile.

* * *

After many hours of cautious opening debate, a joint public announcement by Dangor and Leia to confirm the commencement of negotiations, and a formal dinner with awkward, stilted conversation hosted by the Queen, they had finally been able to sneak away from their respective parties – Vader supposedly meditating in a locked room and Luke going for a walk to clear his head.

Luke had followed the mental call to find his father in a small, isolated veranda gazing out over the landscape. Before them spread lush meadows interspersed with reflective, deep blue lakes, stretching far into the distance where they met the green mountain hills rolling gently into the horizon.

Although Anakin keenly followed his son's approach through the Force, as if afraid to startle away a timid animal, he remained perfectly still as Luke appeared and paused in the doorway. Luke took in the sight of the armoured Sith Lord standing by the decorative balustrade, his large, black-gloved hands resting lightly on the stonework. He reached out with the Force to gauge his father's current mood, and when he had finally satisfied himself that Vader was not about to suddenly draw his lightsaber, Luke stepped up next to his father.

The sun was beginning to set over Theed, casting the small veranda in warm, orange hues as they stood side by side and quietly appreciated simply being together. It wasn't lost on either of them that this was the first time they were meeting peacefully. There was no animosity or false pretences, no witnesses before whom they had to hide their relationship. Shielded from the prying media-cams and far from the bustling sounds of the city and its traffic, only the hiss of the respirator disturbed the idyllic tranquility.

How Anakin wished he could remove his mask and speak to Luke with his own voice, to look upon his son with his own eyes! In a way, it seemed somehow fitting to greet his son with his own face the first time they met properly as father and son. But he knew that such an action only served his own interests and he flatly refused to impose the detrimental consequences of such selfishness on his son. The mask remained firmly, stubbornly, in place. Somewhere in the Netherworld of the Force, Anakin could imagine Obi-Wan shaking his head.

Having such deep regret about their first encounter, Anakin had thought long and hard about this second meeting. He knew their time together here would be limited and he needed to make the most of it. The old Vader would most likely have jealously concealed his terrible past so that Luke wouldn't reject him and attempted to keep his son by his side by any means necessary. But he was Anakin now and the path he walked was guided by different principles. As much as he wanted to be close to his son, it would be Luke's decision whether he wanted his father in his life. And that meant only one thing – the truth, in all its unabridged, horrific entirety.

He looked down at his son, memorising every feature of Luke's face as if he would never see him again. Luke had his hair, his eyes, but Padmé's soft features, her nose. Luke met his gaze levelly, curiosity and wariness evident in equal measure in his blue eyes.

Anakin looked back towards the distant hills. "When your mother told me she was pregnant, it was the happiest moment of my life."

Luke blinked. Everything about those words was unexpected.

Anakin closed his eyes as a crystal clear image of that conversation welled up inside. Her beautiful face was etched in concern, watching him nervously as she told him. He remembered it as if it had happened yesterday, their embrace behind one of the many giant columns lining the main hallway of the Republic Executive Building, barely concealed from the delegates welcoming the safe return of the Chancellor. It had been five, long months since they had last seen each other, and not only had he been greeted by his angel but also with the wonderful news of their child.

With reluctance, he moved on. "But that night, I had a dream – a nightmare, really. And every night it was the same. Portent dreams. Ever since I had dreamed of my own mother's death in exactly the way it came to pass, I had come to fear them. So when I dreamed that Padmé would die in childbirth..."

_Padmé_. The name rolled around Luke's thoughts, and he repeated it several times before fondly tucking it away to return to later. He knew even less of his mother than he did the enigma that was his father, but one parent seemed enough to be trying to understand for now.

Anakin could still feel his fear and panic at those nightmares and he physically shook his head as if to shake it off. "I searched for every possible way to save her, but the Jedi could not help. Master Yoda only told me to train myself to learn to let go, warning me that the fear of loss was a path to the Dark Side. He said that death was a natural part of life and that I should _rejoice_ for those who transform into the force! How could I rejoice in losing Padmé?" he asked hoarsely, turning to Luke.

Luke had no hope of answering that, but he did realise one crucial fact. "You loved her," he said in surprise, an observation, not a question.

"She was everything, my angel –," Anakin managed to say fervently before he choked up.

Luke waited silently as his father visibly brought himself back under control. Even after so many years, the strength of love Luke could feel radiating from Vader was incredible. It made his father appear more human.

It was almost a whole minute later before Anakin continued. "It was Palpatine who presented the answer I was looking for." He laughed sardonically. "A Sith legend, he called it, the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. _He had such knowledge of the Dark Side,_ _he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying_," he said in mock imitation of Palpatine as he recalled what he'd heard in that opera house. "I should have known better. But Palpatine was the Supreme Chancellor at the time and nobody, not even Master yoda, knew he was Sith. And at the time, I foolishly considered him a mentor and a friend. I was desperate and I believed him."

He shook his head at his own blindness. "Looking back, I could see that Palpatine had been laying the trap for many years. I had never been a model Jedi Knight. I wanted more than the ordinary life of a Jedi, and I was too arrogant, too _angry_. He saw straight through me. When he was abducted – at his own scheming – by the Separatist leader General Grievous and I went with Obi-Wan to rescue him, we fought with the fallen Jedi, Count Dooku. I had him at my mercy and Palpatine goaded me to kill him... and I did. I didn't realise at the time that I had been tapping into the Dark Side to overpower him, and my thoughts were not my own. I only saw him as a threat to peace that needed to be eliminated and so I killed him in cold blood. I only learned later that Dooku had been Palpatine's apprentice, Darth Tyranus."

"He played on my pride," he continued, "and made me feel important, such as by appointing me as his personal representative on the Jedi Council. He created a rift between me and Obi-Wan, as well as all the Jedi, in the small things he said – he questioned the judgement of the Council in not granting me the rank of Master, pointed out their lack of trust in me in not selecting me for critical missions. He gradually turned me against them."

A flock of ducks flew into view, splash-landing onto a lake before them not too far away. Neither of them noticed.

"Then Palpatine revealed to me that he was the Sith Lord the Jedi had been hunting for. And he knew of my nightmares, of my fears. _Use my knowledge_, he said. _Know the power of the Dark Side_, _the power to save Padmé_." Anakin paused, his mind casting back to that dark time. "I went as far as turning him over to the Jedi Council. Master Windu went with Masters Fisto, Kolar and Tiinto to arrest him." He shook his head. "I should never have gone, but I couldn't get his words out of my head! I couldn't bear the thought of losing Padmé and kept thinking how Palpatine would be able to save her. The fool I was!" He turned abruptly away from Luke and paused briefly to contain his self-directed anger. "But I would have done _anything_ to save her. So I followed them to the Chancellor's Suite, high up in the Senate Building. And just as Windu was about to deliver the final blow, I stopped him. I cut off his hand, and Palpatine blasted him out through the window." His strength seemed to seep out of him and his shoulders drooped. "That was when I knelt to Sidious for the first time and became Darth Vader. That night, the Jedi Purge began."

Just at that moment the sun dipped below the horizon and the light around them abruptly became several shades darker. The balmly warmth of the day also seemed to flee, leaving them with the dusk chill.

In a fleeting moment of weakness, Anakin considered not telling Luke after all. It was the worst truth of all, too difficult to voice, and it would be so much easier to skip over it and pretend it had never happened. Maybe it would even be better for Luke not to know just how much of a monster his father was. Would it really matter if Luke never knew...?

But then the moment passed and he rebuked himself for his weak-mindedness. It had not been an empty oath when he had sworn that he would do right by his son. Luke deserved the truth, it was only right.

Anakin was never to know how this single decision was to affect the future of the entire galaxy.

Bracing himself, he took a deep breath. "Palpatine had sent me to kill the younglings at the Jedi Temple, and from there the Separatist leaders he'd ordered Grievous to send to Mustafar. It was shortly after this that your mother followed me, to Mustafar. She'd heard dark rumours of my deeds, and she wanted me to go away with her, to leave everything behind. But I was blind with the Dark Side, fuelled with power. I believed I could overpower Sidious and take over with Padmé at my side. No more hiding, no more rules, everyone would know that she was my wife and that she carried my child, and the galaxy would be ours. But she wanted nothing to do with it. She believed in democracy and wouldn't support my dark ambitions. It made me angry." He paused. "Then I saw Obi-Wan."

Anakin was visibly trembling now. "As Vader, consumed by the Dark Side, I couldn't think straight. I thought she had brought him, that he had turned her against me." He gripped the balustrade in a vain effort to steady himself. "She stood there, swollen with our child, begging me to leave with her before it was too late, and I believed the worst of her. I choked her with the Force."

As Luke's expression became horror-stricken, Anakin forged on. "I duelled with Obi-Wan. I was filled with hate and sought to kill him, but he had the higher ground. I was injured badly and burned in the molten lava. At the time I cursed him with every fibre of my being, but in truth, I deserved every bit of agony and pain I have gone through."

He looked far away into the gathering gloom. "Sidious came and took me back to Coruscant where he had me placed in this suit. I remember little through the pain and the raging Dark Side, though I was sure that the last time I had felt Padmé she was still alive. But he told me that I had killed her, and when DNA tests confirmed that her body was indeed hers, I believed him. For twenty two years I believed him, until I learned the name of the Force-sensitive rebel pilot who had destroyed the Death Star. Luke Skywalker." He spoke the name as if it was the dearest, most treasured thing in the world. "You were so strong in the Force and carrying my old name, I knew immediately that you were my son. It was only then that I realised that Padmé must have at least lived to deliver our child. But to this day, I still don't know how she really died."

Anakin gave a bone-weary sigh. "I was utterly lost to the Dark Side for many years. It was only after Bespin when I realised what I had done to you, to my own son, that my eyes were opened to the evil I had become." He turned his masked head to look Luke straight in the eye. "You saved me, Luke, Vader is no more. I am Anakin Skywalker again."

And with that, just as he had done as Vader during their flight above Yavin 13, Anakin revealed himself and allowed Luke to see him as he truly was. Safely concealed deep within his impenetrable shields, Luke was astonished to discover a vast change in his father. The previously wild, all-consuming torrent of the Dark Side was now impressively controlled – and furthermore, it also existed alongside the Light Side in equal measure. The entire spectrum of the Force surged through the person who was so reminiscent of Darth Vader and yet markedly different in every way. Luke could only attribute the transformation to the return of Anakin Skywalker. Neither Jedi nor Sith, he was a phenomenally powerful warrior with the Force truly as his ally.

Anakin reformed his shields and drew the cloaking of Vader's characteristic darkness around himself again. His visible presence was still formidable, but not nearly as potent as he really was.

His voice was loaded with painful remorse as he said, "I could not see what Padmé and Obi-Wan had tried to tell me until it was much too late. As Vader I have done terrible things, but what I did to my own family is the worst crime of all." His gaze was drawn to Luke's right hand concealed in a black glove, just like his own. First his angel and now his son, the two most precious people in the galaxy, both having suffered because of him. "I am so sorry, Luke."

* * *

Luke's head was spinning. Barely half an hour ago he'd known next to nothing about his father and now he'd heard so much that he thought his head would explode. He had been considerably relieved to learn that it was in desperation to save his mother that his father had turned to the Dark Side, not for power or greed, but then moments later he'd been horrified to discover that Anakin had choked his mother. And it was with some considerable guilt to find that he felt joy – yes, it had been joy – to be witness to Anakin Skywalker existing inside his father again. Not parted from the Dark Side, but he was certainly no longer a Sith. Luke could feel the incredible depth of love his father still carried for his mother, and the anguish at her loss that was still so raw after so many years. He could only imagine how passionately Anakin must have felt for her at the time. Luke was numb with shock as he struggled to come to terms with all that he had heard; it was like the time after Bespin all over again.

He was silent for so long that Anakin's anxieties bubbled over. "Say something, son," he implored.

Luke looked at him, his gaze troubled. He opened his mouth, closed it again. "I... I don't know what to say," he said eventually. "I don't know what to think, it's too soon."

Anakin gave a long sigh. He felt utterly spent. Stepping away, he lowered himself heavily onto the ornate, stone bench tucked by the wall beneath leafy vines.

"Where is my mother buried?" Luke asked.

Anakin replied quietly, "She is here, in Theed."

"Here?" Luke asked. "She was from Naboo?"

A sorrowful, loving expression crossed Anakin's face inside the mask. "Oh son, your mother wasn't just _from_ Naboo, she was greatly loved by these people. She first served them as Queen, then later as Senator. Her public name was Padmé Amidala."

Luke's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Queen Amidala? My mother was _the_ Queen Amidala?"

It was perhaps a year ago that Leia had told him of the young monarch of Naboo. They had been watching a HoloNet report that had allegedly discovered some evidence of Queen Kylantha backing the last Senator of the Chommell sector, Senator Naberrie of Naboo, in hers and other Senators' bid to prevent the Emperor for disbanding the Senate, and Luke had made the mistake of commenting that Kylantha seemed to support her people despite apparently being loyal to the Empire. Leia had lectured him at length of the differences between Kylantha and the democratically elected monarchs of the past, like Queen Amidala. One of the youngest Queens ever elected, Amidala had earned great respect throughout the galaxy when she bravely fought off the illegal occupation of Naboo by the Trade Federation when the Republic failed to provide assistance. During this time she also unified the segregated societies of Gungans and humans, and as Senator she had continued to dedicate her life to her people and was a staunch supporter of democracy until her premature death. Leia, one of the most dedicated advocates of social equality and the rights of all sentient lifeforms that he had ever known, had looked up to her.

"We met when she was already Queen and I was but a slave," Anakin said, his mind half casting back to his nine-year-old self.

"You were a slave?" Luke repeated, again taken aback.

Anakin nodded. "I was born into slavery. But that is another story for another day."

The shadows of the night had closed around them by now, and they both looked out into the gloom towards the distant specks of light from the scattered villages and villas surrounding the lakes.

"There's something I don't understand," Luke said after a while. "How can you use both sides of the Force? How can you control the Dark Side?"

"I'm not sure myself," Anakin replied. "Ever since I re-established my connection to the Light Side, I have been able to use and control both sides of the Force. I can't banish the Dark Side, but neither does it take over. Obi-Wan didn't seem to think it was a problem," he said vaguely. For some reason he was reluctant to mention the prophesy to his son. He still disagreed that he was the Chosen One and there was no point in getting Luke excited about it as well.

"Obi-Wan came to you?" Luke asked as he sat down beside him.

Anakin smiled wryly. "He kept calling me Anakin. That was when I realised I'd changed so much that I wasn't Vader anymore."

"Does Palpatine know?"

"I certainly hope not. We should be safe for a while longer. The Dark Side still flows in me so there would have been no major disruptions for him to detect, and any surge in the Light could be due to you. But we must be careful," he warned. "He is extremely powerful in the Dark Side and a master of precognition. Moreover, he will be plotting to ensnare you as his apprentice, to replace me."

Luke's countenance became that of serious focus and unyielding resolve. "He won't succeed," he stated.

"I know," Anakin replied. He didn't care what happened to himself but the thought of Luke ever being called 'Darth' was nauseating. Silently, he vowed, _I won't let him!_

"Luke," he said, turning to his son. "I have done terrible, unforgiveable things, and I know that you need time to think about what I told you. But can you believe that I am no longer Vader? That what I do now is for good?"

Luke looked at him, seeing through the ominous mask to the man his father was inside. It was impossible to say whether he would ever come to terms with the evil committed by Darth Vader, but that was a separate issue. He had no doubt that Anakin had turned a new leaf.

"I believe you," he said.

Anakin only realised he was holding his breath when he released it in relief. Although it still weighed heavily on him that Luke might not be able to cope with his past and eventually reject him when the dust had settled, the fact that his son could believe that one small fact filled him with renewed strength. He took a moment to resettle his emotional equilibrium before rising to his feet.

"Then we have work to do," he announced. "I need to speak with the other Alliance representatives."

Luke immediately looked concerned. "But we've been negotiating all day." The Jedi in him winced, knowing how much of a whine that was, but he had never been a politician and the prospect of spending more hours in negotiation wasn't appealing.

Anakin chuckled, a sound the vocaliser struggled with and emitted as something like a cough. "I hate to tell you this, but that was nothing but a travesty. This is where the real work begins. Now come, I will explain all."

And with that, the armoured warrior lithely leaped up, grasped the overhanging vines and began scaling them to make his way towards the East Wing which had been assigned to the Alliance delegates. With a weary sigh, Luke followed a moment later.

* * *

Leia and Madine glanced up in surprise from the datapads they had been studying as Luke hurtled through the window, landing in a tight roll then smoothly rising to his feet. They were alone in the room, without Chewbacca or a single guard. Luke swept the room with the Force, ensuring they had complete privacy. Leia was watching him curiously.

"The door was closed," he explained feebly.

"Of course," she replied. She and Madine continued to watch as Luke hesitated, eyes flickering between them and the veranda doors several times.

"Is there something you wish to say, Commander?" Madine asked.

Visibly bracing himself, Luke said, "Yes, sir." He walked to the doors, reached for the control switch, hesitated, then spun around to face them. "I am about to do something which will seem rather insane. I ask that you hear the explanation before – " He stopped himself. "Well, warning you isn't going to help at all, so – "

Abruptly, he smacked a hand on the switch and the doors slid open.

The instant they saw Vader standing there, both Madine and Leia snatched at their blasters. Before they could fire, however, an invisible hand had ripped the weapons away and sent them soaring through the air towards Luke.

"Wait!" he cried as he caught them.

Face flushing red, Madine was already reaching for his comlink with one hand as he pushed Leia behind him with the other. However, the comlink, too, was torn from his grasp and went flying towards Luke, who placed it on the side table alongside the blasters.

"What's the meaning of this?" Madine demanded angrily.

Luke rushed in front of Vader, facing them with his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Please, just listen. I brought him here for a reason."

Leia stepped out from behind Madine and gave them a long, measured look as Vader's respirator hissed around them. Only her trust in Luke stayed her hand from reaching for her own comlink. "An explanation would be appreciated," she said crisply, addressing Vader.

Anakin took one step into the room, waved a hand to close the doors behind him, and swept the room with the Force as Luke had done.

"Your Highness, General Madine, be assured I mean you no harm. I come with a warning, and a proposition. Would you care to sit?" He gestured the circular table and seated himself, aware that he would appear a shade less threatening if he wasn't towering over them. Luke sat a quarter of the way around the table and, with great wariness, Leia and Madine settled opposite Vader.

"I bear you serious warning," Vader said. "These peace negotiations are not genuine."

Madine was glaring at him. "We never thought it was," he stated.

"That is wise," Vader acknowledged. "But I don't believe you are aware of the full extent of the plot. Palpatine is willing to go to any lengths to gain your trust, he would implement all the changes we discussed today, and more. He would reinstate the senate, replace the regional governors with elected representatives and return control of local Imperial forces to them. Rebel Alliance leaders would even be placed on the Imperial Ruling Council, if necessary, and full elective powers will be restored to citizens. Whatever it takes, he will do." Vader paused. "But ultimately, when he has discovered the location of every Alliance leader and resistance cell, he will override control over the Imperial forces and destroy you all."

There was a stunned silence. It was Leia who recovered first. "You discussed these plans with him?" she asked.

"I suggested it," Vader replied.

Madine became a picture of rage but she had anticipated such. "So why are you warning us?" she asked smoothly.

"The Empire is wrong," he said frankly. "A system of government where a sole individual has absolute authority will only lead to corruption and oppression. Power should be restored to the people."

She regarded him thoughtfully. "You have been this Empire's chief enforcer for two decades, Lord Vader. Why should we believe you?"

"For personal reasons I will not divulge, I have come to see the error of my ways. Palpatine is evil, he should not be allowed to hold the lives of the galaxy's citizens in his hands. Call it a change of heart, if you will," Vader said, with a most uncharacteristic shrug.

"Just for argument's sake, let's say we believe you," she said. "What is it that you propose?"

Anakin had been building up to this point for months now and he forged ahead without preamble. "I will destroy Palpatine."

Madine began to splutter in disbelief but Leia held out a hand to stay him, nodding at Vader to continue. Luke's brow creased in a frown, his expression grave.

"When he is dead, there will be many amongst the Grand Moffs, Grand Admirals and Imperial Advisors who will wish to take over. Legally I have right of succession and I will assume temporary command, but only as a means to avoid fragmentation and further war. As the situation stabilises, I will work with the Rebel Alliance to ensure smooth transition to a democratic system of government. Over time, I will relinquish all power entirely."

There was exactly one second of silence before Madine exploded. "We can see right through you, Vader," he hissed, jabbing a finger towards him. "This farce of being on our side, pretending to work with us. It's obvious you're merely after power for yourself –"

"General," Leia interrupted with calm authority. She may have been young but there was good reason why she was one of the Alliance's leaders. Madine held his tongue, although clearly still enraged.

Leia coolly faced Vader. "You understand we find it difficult to take your word at face value," she said more diplomatically.

"Of course," Vader said. "And to that end I have already made some peace offerings. I can give you the exact details of several donations the Alliance has received in the last few months, credit donations now totalling near to eight billion credits, as well as ten Nebulon-B frigates." He looked aside as if thinking to himself and mused, "That was a challenging endeavour to cover my tracks."

Madine was looking extremely dubious.

"You may also have heard of 'Varykino'?" Vader continued.

Leia was already aware of this but she asked, for the record, "Are you admitting to being the same Varykino who has secretly been aiding and recruiting for the Alliance for the last four months?"

"I am," Vader confirmed.

Madine's gaze narrowed. "We currently have an Imperial spy, maybe several, infiltrating our ranks. You could have heard all this from them."

"It was Vader who warned me about the Imperial fleet in Toprawa," Luke said quietly from the side for the General's benefit. Although he had already discussed it with Leia, it would be news to the rest of High Command. Madine seemed torn between disbelief and stunned amazement.

"My latest enterprise was most amusing," Vader continued. "I'm sure you have seen it, the Freedom Chronicles?"

Luke's jaw dropped. "That was you?"

Anakin inclined his head in confirmation, the grin hidden behind the mask but Luke easily sensed his amusement.

"That would explain it," Leia said. It made perfect sense in view of Vader being Varykino. She turned to Luke. "Is he telling the truth?" she asked, not bothering to be subtle about the question.

En route, his father had only briefly mentioned that he wished to make a deal with the Alliance. Having only just heard the full details he was still slightly astounded, but there was no denying the truth.

"I wouldn't have brought him here otherwise," Luke replied.

She nodded. "And your facing off earlier today …?" she prompted.

"Was just an act to fool Dangor," he finished. "Vader suggested it."

Leia shot him a glance that seemed to say, _I should have known_. She turned back to Vader. "We will give your proposition serious consideration. Before the official opening negotiations are adjourned, we will need the broad terms of any possible agreement to take back to the Alliance for discussion."

"When my official presence will not be missed," Vader replied, "I will come here as often as is possible to discuss it. But I cannot stress enough that we must not be seen talking. Dangor is a fanatic, insanely loyal to Palpatine and will report everything. For the sake of maintaining our guise, the negotiations during the day must continue as if nothing is amiss."

Leia looked at him as if he had just insisted that Wookiees were hairy. "We are the Rebel Alliance, Lord Vader. You need not tell us how to be discreet."

Luke was trying, and failing, to smother a smile.

"I stand corrected," Vader conceded.

She might have been willing to negotiate with him but she was clearly uncomfortable at the prospect of sitting at the same table any longer than was strictly necessary.

"I believe we're done for today," she said, her tone final.

"Indeed," Vader confirmed before rising to his impressive height. Madine also stood, not out of civility but so as to avoid being caught sitting down if the Dark Lord decided to attack. Vader nodded at Leia politely before departing through the veranda doors, making Madine shiver as the doors seemingly opened and closed behind him of their own accord.

* * *

Luke had never been so adamant in his whole life. He had already considered whether this was the same rash stubbornness with which he had raced off to Bespin to save Han and Leia, and dismissed it. This time the Force was in full agreement.

"We'll do it together," he insisted yet again, it must have been the fifth time now.

Luke had called to his father after all the delegates were supposedly asleep and Anakin had snuck his way easily into the quarters assigned to his son. Raised in poverty on a moisture farm Luke was uncomfortable with the same lavish decoration as seen throughout the Palace, but he was presently far more preoccupied with other matters. He stared his father down, who was looking decidedly Vader-like at that moment as he towered over Luke with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"This isn't your fight, Luke," Anakin replied.

"Yes, it is. We all have a right to fight."

"A right to fight, yes, but you also have a duty to future generations. You must survive, you are the last of the Jedi."

Luke didn't correct him on that last point. Instead, he said with emphasis, "_We _must survive. You can't do this alone, father. If we face him together it might just work."

Caught up in their argument, neither of them heard the door slide open with the faintest hiss, and for reasons they couldn't understand, neither of them sensed the newcomer.

"No, Luke. He is too powerful, there's no knowing what might happen."

"Exactly," Luke retorted. "That's why you need me there."

"I won't allow you to be hurt!" Anakin thundered with a pointing finger, his fear at the prospect making his tone harsher than he'd intended.

Luke wasn't fazed in the slightest. "I won't allow you to die!" he countered with equal intensity.

Anakin couldn't think how to respond and threw his arms up in the air. "You might even be more stubborn than your mother," he said in equal exasperation and fondness.

There was a pause, then Luke said quietly, "I can't lose you, father."

Anakin took one look at his son and the tension melted away. Wanting to reassure him but not knowing how, he simply placed a hand on Luke's shoulder.

It was at that moment that shock crashed into them through the Force and they realised they were being watched. They spun towards the door on the other side of the room, and were faced with Leia's startled, large brown eyes.


	7. Luke's father

Hello again everyone!

I never meant to keep you waiting so long but first the Easter holidays came up, and then when the weather became sunnier and warmer I kept being drawn outside and couldn't spend as much time typing indoors... Anyway, here we are :)

As ever, I can't thank the reviewers enough for the amazing comments you've written for my story. Your support and encouragement means so much. Thank you thank you thank you!

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Not mine (except for the plot).

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 7. Luke's father  
**

For an eternal moment, nobody moved.

All sound faded away; even the hiss of Vader's respirator went unnoticed. Leia's shocked gaze travelled from Luke, to Vader, to the hand resting on her friend's shoulder, and returned to rest on Luke again.

Vader dropped his hand and took a step back.

Leia stirred as if the movement had released her from a spell. Her face morphed into an expression of utter incredulity. "Is _that_ what he told you?" she exclaimed.

"Leia..." Luke started. His mouth continued to move but he found that no words were forthcoming.

His guilty expression was almost more than she could take. Deep concern verging on desperation now lined her face, her rapidly changing expressions reflecting the tumultuous emotions within. She approached him, her eyes pleading. "It's not true, Luke," she implored, grasping at possible explanations. "He's manipulating you, to turn you to the Dark Side."

"On Bespin, yes. But he's not like that anymore," Luke tried to explain.

She blinked. "_Not like that anymore_? Luke, it's _Vader_! How is he _not like that anymore_?" She glanced nervously at the towering form standing motionless behind her friend.

"It's a long story, and I can't go into detail, but the bottom line is that I know he's changed. I'm sorry, Leia," he said as if he had committed some terrible crime. His blue eyes were so apologetic, saddened by the pain he must be causing her.

"No..." Horror welled up inside and she realised gradually that her head was shaking, side to side, over and over, as if of its own accord. "He can't be..."

Vader spoke for the first time. "A DNA test would prove conclusive."

Her gaze moved back and forth between them, her brown eyes twice their normal size. Luke and Vader were watching her intently in return and suddenly it became too much.

"Leave me," she whispered, turning away from them.

"Leia –" Luke tried.

"Please," she breathed. It was barely a sound.

Feeling as if his heart would burst, Luke nodded and headed out of his own rooms, followed closely by his father.

* * *

Luke, of all people, the son of her worst enemy? Leia's hands trembled as she wrapped her arms around herself, bracing against a chill that had nothing to do with the cool night breeze in the small hours of the morning. Desperately needing to be alone and feeling as if the walls were caving in on her, she had slipped outside away from Chewie's watchful guard. Without conscious attention, her feet carried her meandering down the rocky path carved into the cliffs below the Theed Royal Palace.

It couldn't be true! The thought was too much to bear. Since Han had been taken Luke had been her rock, the one stable thing in their chaotic lives. And she knew that she had been his. They had anchored themselves on each other, mentally and emotionally, to seek solace and strength as they both suffered. For many months now she had been wishing that Luke would confide in her, certain that she could alleviate his distress somehow. But had she known that _this_ was what he'd been so troubled by, she would have demanded they discuss it straight after Bespin and put his mind at ease in an instant! What a waste for Luke to have lost those months in useless pain...!

But her strength seemed to vanish in the wake of her mental outburst and her shoulders drooped. A sound that was something between a strangled cry and a sob escaped her. Deep down inside, she knew that all her ranting was hopeless. For no reason that she could fathom, she just knew that it was true. Why Luke had been so traumatised, the terrible truth that he had concealed, even from her – perhaps _especially_ from her...

That scene was forever carved into her memory. Nothing had been right about it – her usually soft-spoken friend arguing so emphatically with Vader, the Dark Lord himself casually throwing his arms up in the air in frustration. _I can't lose you, father_. It had to be a mistake, a slip of the tongue, some twisted hallucination conjured up by her tired mind. Vader would refute it and that would be that. But no! Shockingly he'd done the exact opposite. With a tenderness she'd never imagined Vader to possess, he had placed a hand on Luke's shoulder in a _fatherly_ gesture.

Her shock had erupted into outright horror to realise that she believed it too.

There was no good reason to think it could be true. For one, there was nothing even close to a resemblance in their physical stature – Luke was positively diminutive next to Vader's towering build. She also knew Luke's father to be Anakin Skywalker, a legendary Jedi Knight from the Clone Wars, the Hero With No Fear. Her thoughts flickered to Luke's mother – judging by Luke's age, identical to hers down to the exact day, he must have been conceived in the waning days of the Old Republic months before the galaxy had first heard of Darth Vader. She could imagine someone wanting to bear the child of Anakin Skywalker, but Darth Vader's? Besides, who knew if he was even human inside that suit?

There were so many arguments to refute the claim but nonetheless the little nugget of information seemed to wedge itself firmly in her mind, immovable in the face of all the evidence to the contrary. Something about it just seemed to click in her mind, as if it had been the missing piece of the puzzle all along. And it didn't help that everything from Luke's behaviour after Bespin to all that had occurred with Varykino made perfect sense if Vader was indeed Luke's father.

Vader was the very face of her nightmares. There wasn't a single soul for whom she felt more anger, hate or – yes, she admitted – or fear. Not even Palpatine could command such personal animosity from her. And now it was as if Luke had been tainted by Vader's dark shroud and he suddenly felt like a stranger, hurled galaxies away from her in just a few short seconds. Worse still were the niggling doubts which had started crawling around in her mind as to Luke's intentions. Did he still fight for freedom and democracy? What if he had secretly joined Vader already? Could Vader's plan to overthrow Palpatine be in fact _their_ plan, an elaborate scheme to overthrow both the Empire and the Alliance in the shadow of the peace negotiations?

She quickly shook her head to dispel such dark suspicions. She _knew_ Luke didn't agree with Vader's ideals; his being so traumatised by the revelation on Bespin was proof of that. And whatever trap the Dark Lord was setting, she reminded herself that _she_ had not been taken in by the duplicity. Her lips pursed in grim resolve as she took it upon herself to protect her friend from whatever schemes Vader might be hatching. Luke needed her now, more than ever, and she was not about to abandon him to the Dark Lord's mercies.

It was at that moment that she abruptly smacked face first into a wall and scuffed her toes. Much too late, she realised that she had been paying no attention to her surroundings and she muttered a Corellian curse she must have picked up from Han. She blinked to focus her eyes – only to find her vision filled with unmistakable black armour.

She jumped back, heart leaping into her throat, eyes widening as she looked up to the dreaded mask –

She froze as a human face stared back at her, as equally startled as she. Familiar, blue eyes stared out of a pale face with chiselled features. A long scar shone in the moonlight, running under his left eye, over the cheek and past his ear. Short sprouts of hair grew on his head, though it was too dark to see their colour. Emerging from the suit of Darth Vader was a face she recognised all too well from her clandestine history lessons of another age. Her eyes widened and her voice was no more than a whisper.

"Anakin Skywalker!"

There was a resigned sigh and then an entirely unfamiliar voice. "Yes, I am Anakin."

It was not the deep, terrifying rumble of Vader's vocaliser, but a softer, richer timbre. An icy chill gripped her as she registered the evidence before her eyes. Twenty two years ago Anakin Skywalker had suddenly disappeared off the face of the galaxy exactly when Vader had appeared out of nowhere, but the Dark Lord hadn't killed Skywalker as everybody had believed. Anakin Skywalker had _become_ Darth Vader!

Feeling as if she would suffocate, she turned to rush away.

"Princess!" The pressing tone made her stop, despite her better judgement. "Please, no one must know."

Leia spun to face him. "Know what? That you're a fraud? That the suit is all a sham?"

"This," Vader said tiredly, waving vaguely at his head, "is only recent. A week ago, I couldn't live without the suit nor breathe normal air without the respirator. The respirator itself was only modified two days ago to emulate the sound of full functionality."

"And this is what you'd like to keep secret?" she asked curtly.

"Yes – no – not quite." Vader shifted uncomfortably. "It's complicated."

Leia crossed her arms, tilted her head, and arched a brow expectantly. Stubbornness was etched in her every line.

Anakin looked away, painfully reminded of someone else when she looked like that. He didn't know whether it was the uncanny resemblance or Luke's trust in her, but he found himself explaining.

"I have no problem in admitting who I am. I might even say that it's tempting – to live without this armour, to see my son –" He stopped himself; his wishes and dreams were none of her concern. "But there are many who would easily recognise me and Skywalker is not a common name. If it became public knowledge that Luke was related to me in any way, let alone my son –" He glanced at her. "If _you_ cannot accept it, then there would be few others who could. He would be rejected by all those he knows, his life would never be the same again."

There was a pause as she took in his words. He was _worried_ for Luke? It was too incredible to believe and she couldn't help wondering what he would say about his mother. "I see," she said smoothly with mock understanding. "So your concern is for Luke's wellbeing. Were you similarly concerned for his mother or did you force her to bear your child?"

Vader's reaction was instantaneous. He drew himself up and towered over her like a violent storm cloud, finger pointing angrily in her face. "Whatever else I am guilty of, your Highness, you cannot accuse me of not loving my wife!"

She blinked, momentarily taken aback at his passionate outburst, but then snapped back at him with renewed vigour. "Like you love your son?"

"Yes!"

"Of course you do!" she exclaimed with biting sarcasm. "It's so obvious, what with your actions on Bespin being so demonstrative of fatherly concern!"

There was no denying the pain that flashed across his face before he turned away from her, and to her astonishment he seemed to visibly wilt before her eyes. There was a heavy sigh.

"As I explained to Luke," came the quiet response, "that hadn't been my intention. I was another person then, fuelled by the Dark Side."

Leia had always been a good judge of character, never falling for the honey-coated poison of corrupt, power-hungry senators, and she was baffled to detect no deception in his remorse.

Vader opened his mouth as if to say something else, but closed it again. She waited as he seemed to battle within himself, staring out into the moonlit landscape as he had been when she had collided into him – for which she was secretly thankful. She might have simply walked off the ledge otherwise.

"Luke would never tell you this but perhaps you should know. It was after I... maimed him, that I told him I was his father." There was a pained pause. "I have never seen anyone so appalled. He threw himself a mile down the reactor shaft just to get away from me."

Leia stared at the back of Vader's – Anakin's – head with the short, recent growth of hair. She briefly saw a picture of Luke flinging himself bodily away from Vader and she could imagine something of the nightmarish ordeal that must have been their encounter in Cloud City. How Luke must have suffered! Her heart went out to him and the imagery helped to separate Luke from Vader in her mind.

What puzzled her, however, was why Vader was telling her this. To all appearances he appeared to be trying to save his son's friendship with her but Vader was no fan of hers, she had been an irritating thorn in his side for too long. What could he be up to?

Judging that he was unlikely to be forthcoming along that line of questioning, she changed the subject with the first thing that came to mind. "Luke must have been pleased to hear your operation was successful."

Vader froze. "He doesn't know. He _mustn't_ know."

She looked at him. "Even if it wasn't common knowledge, I'm sure he would appreciate knowing that your health is better."

Vader glared at his helmet and mask resting on a rocky outcrop beside him. "You know him better than I do. If he discovered that I didn't need this wretched thing anymore, don't you think he would insist that I do away with it? Then we're back again to why I wish to hide our relationship."

"Is it so uncomfortable?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Unexpectedly, the bitterness melted away from his face. "No more than I deserve," he murmured. He turned to her, his expression anxious. "Would you agree not to speak of this?"

She was immediately uncomfortable at the thought of hiding this from Luke, at the thought that he could be standing next to Vader with no clue of how close he was to seeing his father's real face, or looking into those blue eyes which he had clearly inherited. But she had to admit, as improbable as it was for her to agree with Vader on anything, that the Dark Lord was probably right on this one – knowing Luke, he'd most likely insist on revealing Anakin Skywalker to the galaxy with no care of the adverse consequences to himself.

"For Luke's sake, I won't speak of it – for now, at least." She would have to reconsider if the concealment began to endanger lives or the Alliance.

Vader seemed relieved at this small concession and tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"But I'll be watching you," she warned. "I don't know what your intentions are but I won't let you hurt him."

She had expected Vader to be offended by her audacity to warn him about his own son, but his expression only softened as he gave her a faint smile.

"He is fortunate to have such a loyal friend."

Leia didn't even consider whether he could possibly be genuine in that sentiment. Deeming their conversation to be over, she gave him a gracious nod and turned to walk away. She hadn't taken two steps before his voice stopped her.

"Princess."

She froze, suddenly afraid to look at him. There was something about his wary tone that made her hair stand on end.

"I owe you a serious, personal apology. My treatment of you on the Death Star was deplorable. There is no excuse for what I did."

Nausea swept up her throat. All through the long debates she had been suppressing the painful memories threatening to overwhelm her, a near-impossible task when facing that deathly mask across the conference table. But somehow, miraculously, she had managed. Now, however, Vader had verbally brought the incident to the fore and her body burned as though his words had reignited the excruciating sensations of the torture all over again.

She violently tried to shove the terrifying feeling away. Anger surged automatically in defence as she rounded on him. "If this is some underhanded ploy to win favours with Luke –"

"I assure you it is no such thing," Vader interrupted, his voice strangely too kind coming from him. "It would be a lie to say that Luke's fondness for you didn't affect my decision to apologise, but I _am_ sorry. It is not something that I could do now."

She fumed silently, unwilling to accept his apology. Even if it was sincere, it was too little, too late.

"I cannot reverse the harm I caused you on the Death Star, but I might possibly undo some of my actions on Bespin. If you would allow me, I will rescue Captain Solo from Boba Fett."

_Han!_ Desperate longing and frightful concern surged through her in equal measure. Could Vader possibly be in earnest? She frantically searched his face for any sign of cruel mockery but his expression remained solemn as he levelly returned her gaze.

She took a deep breath as she regained her composure with an effort. Still firmly holding any hope at bay, she said, "Very well, you may assist us in rescuing Han. If he is alive and well, that would be some small measure of recompense."

She didn't say what she would do if he wasn't, but her flashing eyes spoke volumes. Anakin was no stranger to the crippling devastation of the loss of a loved one and wasn't surprised at the implied threat. In fact it was quite an understatement compared to how he himself had reacted when Padmé had been lost to him – indeed, the whole galaxy was still staggering from the effects. Why the Princess had fallen for some irritating, smart-mouthed smuggler was beyond him, but it was of no consequence to him. He would reunite them, effectively returning them to how he had found them, and leave them to it.

Leia watched closely as Vader nodded to her then reached for his mask. She wondered at his thoughts as he froze, staring grimly at the ominous face that had become synonymous with terror and oppression. There was a long pause before he spoke in a soft, haunted voice.

"My crimes are not my son's, your Highness."

Then the mask was fixed on his face, followed swiftly by the helmet. With a touch of a button on the control panel on his chest, the chilling hiss of his respirator filled the night air.

* * *

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Luke?"

As if he had been primed to trigger at the sound of Leia's voice, Luke was awake from his fitful slumber in an instant and rushed to open the door. Uncertain of his reception he came to an abrupt halt in the doorway and anxiously searched her face for any indication of her state of mind. She simply gave him a tired smile and held her arms open. There was a moment's pause as he gazed at her questioningly, but then he gave up trying to understand and simply embraced her.

* * *

The darkness fluttered, agitated by some unknown upheaval. Palpatine frowned in displeasure as his senses were disrupted by the unnatural flow.

The Chief Engineer picked up on the Emperor's expression and mistook it for disapproval of his report. With barely concealed urgency he hastened to reassure the supreme authority in the galaxy. "Your Majesty, I assure you that these accidents will have no effect on production. We have already drafted in new labour and I assure you that the staff are fully appreciative of what is expected of them." He would never actually use the word 'slaves' but the meaning was clear. "Within two days we will be back on schedule, and indeed after that we will be able to increase the pace and bring forward the planned completion."

Palpatine's mind was elsewhere but this man was in charge of a vital project making him important enough to warrant more consideration than a curt dismissal. The Emperor spent several more minutes reassuring him and approving the final phase before taking his leave in a more courteous manner.

Once alone in his private chambers, the benign-Emperor visage he liked to adopt for the public gave way to a dark, ugly scowl. For one who could read the ebb and flow of the Force so masterfully, the building agitation was like a bright flare spelling changes afoot on the horizon. Where the disturbances only a few weeks ago were questionable, suspicions at best, judging by the increased shift in the Force it was clear that those who conspired against the Empire were now stepping up their plans. And even before he began his meditations there was one obvious nuisance that needed no pointers – the negotiations in Theed where his apprentice would once again be meeting the young Skywalker.

Trusting that the mounting restlessness of the Force would now prove more revealing, Darth Sidious sank into deep meditation.

* * *

All too soon, the third and final day of the official negotiations were upon them. Outwardly, Luke exuded assured serenity, the very image of the peace-keeping Jedi from the Old Republic. He silently stood by Leia in a symbolic and physical display of support as she, Vader and Dangor confirmed the broad terms of their initial treaty proposals.

Inwardly, however, his mind was far away with all that happened the previous day.

The main bulk of the previous, second day of the official negotiations had dragged by in twelve long hours of discussions. Exchanges had remained as loaded with subtle inferences as the first day, although outwardly the Alliance party perhaps appeared more driven. Fully playing out their role of being taken in by these talks, they had engaged in debate for the most part with Dangor who was the main negotiator on the Imperial front. Whether or not the Alliance High Command decided to make a deal with Vader, with the official negotiations being for nought there was nothing to lose in playing the part.

As if there really was something to be gained from these talks, numerous proposals on a whole range of issues from Palpatine's totalitarian authority, reinstatement of the Senate and democratic elections of regional governors, to policies on education, slavery, and the treatment of non-humans had been raised and dismissed, only to be revisited later and compromised, then rejected again or, occasionally, accepted. Vader had contributed to the discussion only on matters regarding the security forces and the appointment of Alliance personnel. However temporary any agreements were supposed to be in his so-called plans to annihilate the rebellion, he had remained fully within the boundaries of what Palpatine might agree to and flatly refused to relinquish his position as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces. But as a compromise he had offered to cease all summary executions without trial, effective immediately. Silence had greeted that statement until Leia conceded the point and returned to the issue of the social care of minors.

And it had been in Luke's rooms in the dead of night that he, Leia, Madine and Vader had met again for the negotiations that really mattered. Leia and Madine had been prepared to argue intensely on various issues for which the Alliance felt strongly, mainly those which had already been discussed with Dangor earlier in the day, but the Dark Lord had surprised them by insisting on many of the points himself. If Vader was in earnest, which Luke knew he was, the Alliance had quite an advantageous offer on the table.

But it was in the short hour in between these two very different negotiations where Luke's heart still lingered, when he had joined his father on the small veranda again beneath the stars scattered in the clear night sky. When he had excused himself, Leia had avoided his gaze and he knew that she knew where he was going. She hadn't explained why she had suddenly accepted Vader being his father so quickly the previous night and he hadn't pressed her, knowing she would talk about it when she felt ready. He had felt a twinge of guilt as he slipped out of the East Wing but there was no hesitation as he headed out on a circuitous route to zoom in on his father's location.

They had fallen easily into conversation and spoke with candour of their pasts. Luke described his poor but relatively happy childhood, and about growing up in the middle of nowhere where the highlight of his days had been racing Beggar's Canyon with his friend Biggs. He had been thrilled to discover that his father was the only human to have ever won the Boonta Eve Classic, and his heart warmed at the thought that, before they had ever met, they had both raced the same deadly twists and turns many years apart.

Anakin had spoken at length of his earlier life, his mother – Luke's grandmother, his life as a slave, how he had met Padmé, and his years of training as a Jedi Knight. And the more Luke had learned, the more the horror of the deeds committed by Vader seemed to pale. It wasn't that the evil was any less, but in the context of what had happened with his mother and with Palpatine subtly guiding him towards the dark path as had been explained the previous night, the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the nature of Darth Vader became more understandable. Luke couldn't even imagine what it must have felt like for his father to dream repeatedly of his mother's death, and to have the considerable powers of the Force at his fingertips, but be unable to prevent her brutal fate. And then to start dreaming of Padmé's death! Luke remembered his own inner turmoil when his aunt and uncle had been murdered and honestly couldn't say how he would have reacted if the stormtroopers responsible had still been at the homestead when he had arrived. Instead of blaming his father, he found his heart going out to him. His life seemed to be that of great tragedy, interspersed with fleeting moments of happiness that were altogether too rare.

And the reverent way his father had spoken of his mother – it was something that Luke would never forget. He was soon engrossed in the memories.

* * *

_"I was convinced you were going to be a girl." _

_Luke pulled a face that made his father grin. "But your mother knew you were a boy." _

_Anakin's gaze was lost somewhere in the moonlit darkness and from his tone it was clear that his mind was far away. _

"_She was a force to be reckoned with, Luke. When she fixed on an idea, not even the combined might of the Trade Federation or a vicious nexu could stand in her way. She protected Naboo and all its people, whatever their species, and they recognised her dedication and loved her. She worried about the war and its devastating effect on so many people, but her courage was remarkable. She never gave up her single-minded campaign for diplomacy and democracy." _

_He smiled sadly. "And then there was the side that the public never saw, the side she showed only to me. She was full of warmth and compassion. Her laugh could light up the darkest night." _

_He suddenly started laughing. "I used to tease her so much! Once, for example, she was targeted by assassins and I escorted her back to Naboo to protect her. We were up in the mountain meadows when I had a childish idea to ride a shaak. But it threw me off, and I just lay there in the grass. She ran over, all worried..." _

_He trailed off, lost in his memories. What had happened after that was clearly the source of amusement but Luke didn't prompt him as he sensed his father's mirth quickly plummet into sorrow. _

_Anakin's awed, sorrowful whisper infused the air around them. "I never knew anyone so loving, so beautiful."_

_Luke had never experienced such love as that which his parents had clearly shared, and had no idea how he might comfort him. _

"_I'd like to go and visit her," he said._

_Anakin smiled sadly. "She'd like that. I'll take you, when this is all over. And to Varykino."_

_Luke sat up straighter. "Varykino?"_

_"Where we were married." _

_Luke's mouth formed an 'O' as he finally understood why his father had chosen that name as his alias when assisting the rebellion. No wonder the Force had hinted at its significance when he had first heard it._

_"It's in the Lake Country here on Naboo, where the Naberrie family have their retreat."_

_Luke had the distinct feeling he was missing something important. "Naberrie?"_

_"Padmé's family."_

_Luke frowned. "But I thought she was called Amidala?"_

_"Amidala was her regal name. She was born Padmé Naberrie."_

_Luke went still. "Senator Pooja Naberrie?" The last Senator of the Chommell sector was a common acquaintance of both Leia and Queen Kylantha, and they had mentioned her briefly at dinner the previous night._

_Anakin nodded. "Your mother's sister, Sola, had two daughters, Ryoo and Pooja. She is one of your cousins."_

_Cousins! When Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen had been killed he had believed them to be the last of his family, but now he not only had a father but also relatives on his mother's side! It felt almost unreal. He wanted to meet them but was far from ignorant of the danger he would pose them if it became known that they were related to one of the Empire's Most Wanted. He had patience. He would wait for better times._

_The night breeze whispered around them, peacefully swirling as they sat by side on the stone bench with their shoulders touching. _

"_Did you build your new lightsaber?" Anakin asked after a while. There was obvious reluctance in bringing up the subject; they both knew when Luke had been parted from the last one._

_Luke nodded slowly, finding the right words. "It was soon afterwards, when I returned to Tatooine. I was confused, and I went to Ben's old hut hoping to find some answers."_

"_Ben?"_

"_Obi-Wan, he was called Ben on Tatooine," Luke clarified. "I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did unearth__ the blueprints, a furnace and some tools to make a new lightsaber." _

"_May I?" Anakin asked. _

_Luke was surprised but there was no hesitation as he unclipped his lightsaber and placed it in the outstretched palm. The hilt looked relatively small grasped in his father's large, gloved hands. _

_The blade hummed to life, casting their features in a green glow. He could feel his father inspecting it with the Force, sensing the crystal and the complex alignment within. Anakin turned it over in his hands several times before deactivating it and handing it back. _

"_You made it well, son."_

_Luke felt joy bubbling up inside as if he was a small boy again. With a shy smile, he tucked his lightsaber away just as his comlink began beeping. He checked the screen before turning it off. _

"_It's time," he said reluctantly. He didn't know when they would next be able to spend time together like this._

_Anakin abruptly turned to him and made a curious request. "Say aaaaaah."_

"_What?"_

"_Say aaaaaah," Anakin repeated._

_Luke complied, feeling rather self-conscious. "Aaaah – argh!"_

_He broke off with a startled cry as Anakin brushed a swab on the inside of his mouth. _

"_And blink," Anakin said before Luke could protest. Some black contraption was thrust in Luke's face and he automatically blinked as a pale blue light flashed in his eyes. _

"_And put your left hand here," Anakin added. He shoved something at Luke's chest, who reflexively pushed it away._

"_Perfect." _

"_What _are_ you doing?" Luke asked, curious but not particularly concerned as he watched his father tuck away the various implements which had materialised out of the small compartments of his utility belt._

_Anakin's reply was uninformative. "Something which should have been done many years ago." _

_They faced each other, neither keen to leave. Anakin placed a firm hand on Luke's shoulder, a comforting, familiar gesture that Luke was beginning to like very much – it simply felt right, as if his father's hand and his shoulder had been designed to fit together. Anakin regarded him for several cycles of his respirator. _

"_I am very proud of you, Luke. Your mother would have been as well."_

_Something welled up inside and Luke found that he couldn't speak._

_Anakin gave his shoulder a squeeze before letting go. "Come on, your friends are waiting." Then he leaped up the vines and disappeared over the veranda. _

* * *

Luke briefly refocused on the conversation around them to find that Leia and Dangor were drawing the discussion to a close. He glanced at the dark, armoured figure silently watching the proceedings. Although the mask was turned towards the conversation he knew that Anakin's attention was on Luke. And sure enough, a moment later his father's voice was in his head.

'_You've been far away, son_.'

Luke smiled faintly. '_Just thinking about things_.'

There was an understanding murmur before his father's tone became serious. '_If you ever need assistance and you cannot get hold of me, you can call on Firmus Piett, the Admiral on the _Executor_. He knows you are my son and that I no longer hold any loyalty to the Empire_.'

'_Do you trust him?_'

'_I wouldn't have told him otherwise. He is a good man, he cares little for Palpatine's evil. His primary concern is his family._'

A family man – like his father. Sadness washed over Luke at the thought that they would soon be parting again. He was deeply appreciative of every second they had spent together, even of something as simple as the comfortable silence they had shared. It felt as if they had known each other all their lives. Their connection in the Force had grown remarkably, and even in such a short time they had forged a solid bond born of honesty and trust. They were ready to face Palpatine and any treachery the Sith Master could try to throw at them.

It was in that moment that Luke realised he harboured no resentment over the loss of his hand. At some point over the last two days he had forgiven his father whole-heartedly for what had happened on Cloud City. He also forgave him for choking his mother, if it was his place to forgive him for that. Anakin had accomplished the impossible and returned from the Dark Side of the Force – what greater testimony could there be for the strength of his love? Whatever Vader's past, it was his father Anakin Skywalker who stood on the other side of the room, with his feet firmly on a better path.

Leia and Dangor were exchanging final words, expressing their hope that the Empire and Rebel Alliance would reconvene soon to sign the treaty. It was now or never.

'_I would have gladly given my whole arm – and so much more – to have my father back_.'

There was a jolt from the other end of their mental link as Luke sent forth his forgiveness and love. Anakin's heart swelled and he was too overwhelmed to respond. But Luke didn't need an answer, he could sense his father's emotions as clear as day.

Luke smiled as he fell into step with Chewbacca to follow Leia and Madine from the Palace.


	8. Delivering on a promise

Hello everyone!

Those of you who were following the story before will see that this used to be the second half of the last chapter. When I wrote it I umm'ed and err'ed over where to finish the chapter, and one of the reviewers (AndrossKenobi) also mentioned the same, and when I read back over it I felt it was too long and things got lost in there... So I've split it up. This is now a link between the initial peace negotiations and... well, whatever's coming next ;-P I've also added titles to previous chapters as I've just worked out how to do that...

But don't worry, I've also uploaded Chapter 9 so you're not losing out!

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 8. Delivering on a promise  
**

It had only been three days and yet Leia felt as if she had been away on a lengthy voyage. She looked at the faces of the Alliance High Command assembled around the table and couldn't help but feel that so much had changed – _she_ had changed. She glanced at Luke seated on her left before speaking.

"The negotiations on Naboo clarified three things. Firstly, it is certain that the official negotiations are, as we suspected, a plot to destroy the Alliance."

There were grim faces all around but nobody seemed surprised.

"Secondly, there is a possibility that our time in Theed was not entirely wasted. We may yet be able to make a deal, although not directly with the Empire."

Madine mumbled something under his breath. Leia ignored him and continued.

"And thirdly," she said, carefully avoiding Luke's gaze, "we have reasonable evidence as to the identity of our mysterious benefactor, _Varykino_."

Madine's face was a dark scowl. Mothma and Rieekan glanced at each other.

"I propose to begin with the third point as all three are connected," Leia said. Mon waved for her to proceed.

"While we were in Theed it was suggested to us who this Varykino might be. The individual himself came forward... Darth Vader."

There was a pause. "Excuse me?" Mon said.

"It was a shocking turn of events. In summary, for reasons he will not reveal to the public," – which was the truth from a certain point of view – "he claims to have had a change of heart. He insists that he no longer supports the Empire and wishes to see the transition to a more democratic form of government. In preparation for this event he has been assisting the Alliance under the pseudonym Varykino. His plan, he claims, is to destroy Palpatine, temporarily take control to avoid fragmentation and civil war, and transfer power back to the people with the guidance of the Alliance. He has offered a deal, should we decide to accept it."

Stunned silence greeted her words. For a long time the leaders simply stared at each other.

And then everyone began speaking at once.

* * *

They were still there many hours later. Leia, Madine and Luke had detailed all the discussions which had taken place at the Theed Royal Palace, both during the official negotiations and during their secret meetings with Vader. Once the bare facts had been explained, the conversation had revolved firmly on the possible deal with the Dark Lord.

Most of the leaders felt that the deal was too good to pass up so long as one pivotal fact could be established – whether Vader was, and would continue to be, true to his word. Luke was all too aware of the importance of the Alliance leaders reaching their own decisions without any influence on his part, and he had excused himself a couple of hours ago.

"This is _Vader_ we're talking about," Madine said for what felt like the hundredth time, leaning on his elbow on the table. He was sagging somewhat in his seat, exhausted from hours of debate, but there was still a sharpness in his tone borne of his simmering scepticism. "We can't forget that. He's held the galaxy in his evil grip for over two decades. Everything we know about him says he'll turn on us the moment he's sure of complete victory over Palpatine and then take over the galaxy himself."

"That _would_ make sense, except he doesn't really need the Alliance on his side if that's his plan," Rieekan said. It wasn't necessarily his view but he was exploring the line of argument. "He's the one who'll be facing Palpatine, and he's already made it clear that he'll temporarily take over as Emperor."

Madine groaned as he suddenly realised what the death of Palpatine would lead to. "_Emperor_ Vader..." And just when he thought _Lord_ Vader was bad enough.

Rieekan ignored him as he continued with his previous logic. "Once he takes over, he'll have ultimate command. Why would he even go to all this trouble of supporting the rebellion and making this deal?"

"To keep us out of his mechanical hair while he deals with Palpatine?" Madine suggested. "Or to have a backup in case everything goes wrong, or to gain our trust so he can wipe out the rebellion more easily later on – there could be any number of reasons. But whatever happens, there's nothing to say he'll actually relinquish control later on. All we have is his word and we're back to square one."

"Luke already addressed that," Leia reminded everyone. Luke had insisted that Vader honestly intended to transfer power and she still remembered his strange expression as he assured them that, should the worst happen and Vader ended up changing his mind, he would _force_ the Dark Lord to retire.

"Yes, and we can believe _him_, can't we," Madine mumbled.

Leia's face became a controlled mask. "What do you mean?"

Madine picked up on her feigned indifference and frowned. "I'm sorry, your Highness. But Skywalker's the one who brought Vader to us, and Skywalker's the one who's vouching for Vader. Now, I know as well as anyone here all that he's done for the Alliance and I am grateful. But I'm just not sure if he's thinking straight on this one. I mean, considering what happened on Bespin, it's possible that Vader got under his skin somehow."

Leia inhaled a steadying breath to work past her outrage before replying with perfect calm. "General, I appreciate your concerns. But I also found no reason to think that Vader was anything but genuine in his assurances. He was not the same man who tortured me on the Death Star and I am also inclined to give him a chance. Or would you suggest that Vader has also got under _my_ skin?"

Madine started stuttering but Leia gently cut across him.

"It's possible that we are so fixated on our past interactions with Vader that we forget the remarkable ability of human beings to grow and develop. There _is_ such a thing as a genuine change of heart," she reminded them with a meaningful glance at Madine. The General briefly held her gaze but then looked away, knowing he was the very proof of that.

A thoughtful silence descended around the table. Her words had exactly the effect she'd hoped – if she, who had suffered so personally at Vader's hands, felt she could make this deal with Vader, then perhaps it was a possibility after all. It was ironic that she was trying to convince them of his sincerity when she herself was still so sceptical. But Leia had never been a selfish person. No matter her own personal issues with the Dark Lord, she would act in the best interests of the galaxy.

Someone buzzed the door. Their eyes met in concern – they had all switched off their comlinks for this important discussion and left instructions that they were not to be disturbed unless it was urgent.

"Enter," Leia called into the intercom.

A communications controller hurried in, carrying a portable holoprojection pod. He stood awkwardly to attention with the large device in his arms.

"Chief Mothma, we have been contacted by the _Executor_."

There was precisely one second when nobody moved, then abruptly all the leaders rose to their feet.

"Set it up here," Leia directed to the space before her on the table. There seemed to be an unspoken understanding that she would continue to communicate with Vader. The others stood well back out of the holoprojector's field.

"What could he want now?" Rieekan wondered aloud.

Mon didn't miss Leia's carefully empty expression. "What do you know, Leia?" she asked.

"Nothing for certain," was the vague response.

It was only a short delay before the meter-high hologram appeared and Vader inclined his head in greeting.

"Your Highness."

"Lord Vader," Leia responded in kind.

"I trust your return journey from Naboo went smoothly?" the Dark Lord asked.

Out of the corner of her eyes Leia saw the others looking rather surprised at his courteous small talk. She, however, knew who he was really asking after.

"Thank you, yes. We _all_ returned without incident. What can I do for you?" she asked without inquiring in kind – it was a useless exercise pretending to Vader that she cared. She was, however, very much interested in one potential reason for his contacting them.

He didn't disappoint her. "We have a rescue to plan, your Highness. I have located Boba Fett."

* * *

"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Something in Palpatine's eyes flickered as he regarded the hologram of his apprentice's kneeling form, but a moment later his wrinkled face adopted his usual false expression of magnanimity.

"Rise, my friend," he said, waving his hand. "Lord Dangor reports that the negotiations in Theed proceeded according to plan. You may give the rebels five more days to consider the terms of the treaty before summoning them to the final discussions and signing. I want the operation wrapped up and the rebellion crushed."

"As you wish."

Sidious tilted his head. "Did you enjoy seeing young Skywalker again, Lord Vader?"

His voice was silky smooth, dangerously so. He watched as Vader studied him, almost imagining the cogs turning in that helmeted head as to whether his master might be implying anything. He gave no tangible indication of it being anything other than a by-the-by comment, although he knew his apprentice was not stupid enough to believe that.

"He remains as obstinate as ever, my master," came Vader's careful response. "He will need further persuasion to turn."

"He has grown strong. Only _together_ can we turn him to the Dark Side of the Force." The message was clear – _You will fail without me_.

"Yes, my master."

Palpatine's sickly pale hands gripped the metal armrests as he leaned back in his throne. His lighter tone indicated a change of subject. "Are you currently on Geonosis, Lord Vader?"

"No, my master," came the puzzled response. "I am in the Cadavine sector pursuing space-pirates that have been attacking Imperial convoys."

Palpatine cackled in amusement at the image of the powerful Darth Vader chasing pesky pirates. "The ceasefire with the rebels must be boring you. Fear not, my friend, I have a task for you. I have received reports that you have been sighted on Geonosis. "

Vader tilted his head at this strange suggestion.

"The garrison there reports that somebody resembling you arrived several hours earlier and have been acting... _strangely_, shall we say. Someone appears to be impersonating you, Lord Vader, an offence punishable by death. Go and investigate and put a stop to this nonsense, make an example of them."

"Yes, my master."

* * *

As the _Millennium Falcon_ and another Corellian freighter, a stock YT-2400, dropped out of lightspeed, the red-orange planet with its ring of fragmented rocks materialised some distance before them. What immediately drew their eye, however, was the distinctive sight of the massive Super Star Destroyer orbiting Geonosis, escorted by an Imperial-class Star Destroyer which appeared miniature in comparison.

Even with the present ceasefire there was a tense silence amongst the rebel troops as the two freighters flew towards the Imperial warships. Only Luke seemed to be at ease as he glanced at the _Executor_ then settled back in the co-pilot's seat.

'_Hello father_.'

'_Son_.'

Their respective presence reached for each other, mingled, a Force greeting.

Lando rose from his seat behind Luke, his uneasy gaze lingering on the Star Destroyers. "I'll go check the coded frequency," he muttered to nobody in particular before heading out of the cockpit.

'_Luke_,' Anakin sent through the Force, '_we must tread with care. I suspect that Palpatine knows we plot against him_.'

Alarm triggered several thoughts in Luke's mind at once – how, when, where...? He brought his runaway thoughts under control. '_But you're still here_.'

'_Yes, my modified droid triggered the reports and he sent me to investigate as we intended, but that is no indication of how much he might know. He hasn't said or done anything as yet but it would be fatal to underestimate him_.'

'_How could he know? Were we spotted in Theed?_'

'_I doubt that. It's more likely that he saw it in his meditations. I can't be certain but there was something about him when we spoke... I feel that not everything is as it seems_.'

The cockpit door hissed open.

"Oh, my!" Threepio exclaimed, seeing the _Executor_ looming ever larger in the viewport as the _Falcon_ approached Geonosis. He lowered himself tentatively into the vacated seat behind Luke. "This looks most dangerous, Master Luke. What do you suppose they are doing here?"

The only response was a string of derisive bleeps from Artoo who had rolled into the cockpit after him. Threepio clearly didn't appreciate the comments.

"Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease! It's perfectly clear the danger we're in –"

Artoo interrupted with a splat and a long trail of whistles.

"Secret arrangement? What plans? What are you talking about? This is no time for delusions, Artoo, that is the Super Star Destroyer." Threepio turned back to Luke and added in a more respectful tone, "We will be much safer after the peace treaty has been signed, sir."

Artoo peeled off some beeps sounding suspiciously like laughter which started Threepio complaining all over again.

Luke tuned them out and glanced at Leia sitting behind Chewbacca to see if she had noticed the droids squabbling. She hadn't said a single word to anybody since they had left the Alliance fleet and she still seemed oblivious to everything going on around her. She was currently checking over her blasters yet again, using an old cloth to scrub at whatever imaginary smudge or lint could still be present after all her previous inspections. Her mouth was set in a grim line, the blazing determination in her eyes only fractionally tempered by the worry she fought to keep at bay.

Anakin was nudging him in the Force and Luke returned his attention to his father.

'_I'll be down at the garrison soon. Make sure to call me if you encounter difficulties_.'

'_Don't worry, we'll be fine_.'

'_Call me, Luke_,' Anakin repeated, his insistent tone brooking no argument.

Luke sighed in mock exasperation, a smile flickering on his face. Having an over-anxious parent was still too novel an experience for him to be tired of it yet. '_Yes, father_.'

Chewbacca gave a soft howl in the pilot's seat, eyes fixed on the Star Destroyers as they drew in range of their formidable guns.

Luke glanced over at him. "We're OK, Chewie, they won't fire. They haven't even challenged us." He knew that his father had given the order to allow the rebel ships to pass but nobody else knew that.

Suddenly his father's exclamation filled his head. '_Why is _she_ here?_'

Luke followed his father's focus to the YT-2400 and easily located the person who had drawn his attention. Aside from himself, Leia, Chewie and Lando who couldn't have been kept away by anything short of their own deaths, Kara was one of just three of the volunteers who had been approved to accompany them. This was a high risk mission, not only since they would be up against one of the deadliest bounty hunters around but by virtue of the intel being provided by Darth Vader, and Mothma had been rather tight-fisted in granting clearance for the strike team.

'_That's Kara, she joined us recently when we rescued some refugees_.' Then it registered what his father had said. '_Wait – you know her?_'

'_Kara?_' his father repeated darkly. '_That's not Kara, it's Mara. Mara Jade, Emperor's Hand!_'

Luke couldn't explain why he felt as he did in that moment. It was as if someone had punched him in the gut, and the air had frozen in his lungs. Kara – Mara – was the Emperor's Hand!

Anakin sensed the rolling emotions in Luke and was disturbed to discover that his son had feelings for Mara Jade. He wanted to advise against it, lecture him – but something held him back. Perhaps he questioned if he had any right to say anything, or simply didn't know where to start. Either way, after a brief moment of indecision he focused on the practicalities instead.

'_I could take her out of your strike force_,' Anakin offered. '_There are numerous pretexts why I might bring your ships on board the _Executor _and separate you all_.'

A frown creased Luke's brow as he closed his eyes and he didn't answer straight away. '_Can you tell me about her?_' he asked eventually.

Anakin sent forth a stream of information over their mental link. Details of how Palpatine had found her and brought her under his tutelage, what his father knew of her training as she grew up, and of her missions, her abilities, strengths and weaknesses, something of how she thought. Luke immersed himself in the Force to seek guidance as he absorbed the information.

Anakin waited quietly after he had finished, forcing himself to be patient until the _Falcon_ was seconds away from entering the planet's atmosphere.

'_There's still time for me to bring you in_,' he prompted gently.

Luke finally came to a decision and mentally shook his head. '_She's playing her role as part of the rebellion for the time being, her aim wouldn't be to kill us or she would have tried already. She'll help us against Boba Fett_ _and whatever he has in store for us down there_.'

'_She could turn against you any moment, sabotage the mission_.'

'_I know, but she deserves a chance_.' Luke sighed. '_I don't know why, but the Force_...' He trailed off, not knowing how to describe it.

Anakin could feel it too. The Force was settled, swirling harmoniously around their whole group, not alarmed in the least by her presence. It must have been why Luke couldn't detect her during his earlier search for the Emperor's Hand.

Anakin relented, albeit with great reluctance. '_Promise me you'll be careful._'

'_Of course_.'

"Well, we have the precise coordinates," Lando announced unhappily as he returned to the cockpit and handed a datapad to Chewie. "Are you sure about this Luke?"

Luke stirred from his reverie at the sound of his name and focused on his surroundings. After a lag his brain registered what his ears had heard. "Vader hired some bounty hunters to intercept Boba Fett en route to Jabba the Hutt and they chased him here. Han's down there, all right."

"That may be, but what if it's a trap?"

"Of course it's a trap. Fett's been holed up there for at least a day, he'd have the whole place primed with sensors and booby traps by now."

"You know that's not what I meant," Lando muttered as Chewie continued to navigate them down to the planet surface. "Is his High and Mighty up there still?" He jerked his thumb upwards, vaguely back in the direction of the _Executor_.

Luke nodded. Oh yes, his father was still up in the _Executor_ all right, bristling anxiously at the thought of Luke entering the fray without him and now with Mara Jade in their midst.

"Good. This is dangerous enough as it is without adding him to the equation."

Luke didn't mention that 'his High and Mighty' was planning to follow them down or about the added complication of the Emperor's Hand.

The desolate, arid landscape stretched before them. Only on closer inspection could one distinguish the artificial nature of the spires rising like giant termite nests from the same orange-brown rocks and sand covering the entire surface of Geonosis.

Chewbacca howled, pointing a hairy paw towards a rocky spire looming up on the starboard side. It looked no different to any of the others they had already passed over.

"The droid foundry?" Luke asked. Chewie growled in confirmation.

Abruptly, Leia stood and jammed her blasters into the holsters hanging from her hips. She marched wordlessly out of the cockpit.

Before Luke's own impatience could rise, he took a moment and fluently channelled his mind into battle-ready calm. In the space of a heartbeat he had crystalline clarity of thought and absolute focus.

Anakin sensed the shift in Luke immediately. '_May the Force be with you, son_.'

'_And with you, father_.'

Even Lando noticed. He watched as Luke rose from the co-pilot's seat, every movement stealthy and fluid as the budding Jedi stepped out after Leia, his focused gaze as searing as the lightsaber hanging from his belt.

Lando shook his head as he followed. "Boba Fett's not gonna know what hit him."


	9. The rescue – part 1

Hi everyone!

I know, it's been aaaaages... It's been hectic the last few months and I've not had much time to sit down properly and write, but here I am at last! I've been plotting and weaving the rest of the story in my head till I'm fit to burst with excitement, so here's to hoping I can put fingers to keyboard and sail on smoothly from here.

A huge, appreciative, welcome-back smile if you're reading this as that would mean you haven't given up on the story :))

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Really? Need I say? Not mine!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 9. The rescue – part 1**

The decommissioned droid foundry was a silent, lifeless tomb concealed deep under the barren surface of Geonosis. There was neither sight nor sound of a single active droid or native Geonosian. Dated, discarded transports, damaged droid parts and abandoned equipment littered the ground, making progress slow and treacherous in the hazy gloom. The group avoided using glow-rods which would have easily flagged their position and blinded them to anything beyond the sphere of light, instead relying largely on faint emergency lights still clinging to the last vestiges of power from their backup fuel cells. Where even these had succumbed to the deathly sleep of time, stranding them in pitch darkness, the green glow of Luke's lightsaber was pressed into service.

Three, right. Four, left.

The group nodded at Leia's signal and split off into respective numbers. They followed her and Luke as the two led the way along opposite sides of the wide corridor, one sensing for any traps laid by Boba Fett with the Force while the other used a more obvious portable scanner. They moved cautiously but steadily as they zeroed in on the coordinates provided by Vader.

Bounty hunters employed by Vader to pursue Boba Fett away from Jabba's Palace reported that _Slave I_ had been severely damaged and crash-landed in the bowels of the droid foundry. Extensive repairs would be required to make the ship space-ready again, but how far into those repairs Fett might be – and how much time they had left to rescue Han – was anybody's guess.

Halt. Get down.

It was Luke's signal this time and the two groups hugged opposite walls as they hunkered down in a part of the passageway not immediately distinguishable from any other. Mezei, not as sure-footed as the others, misjudged the available distance and knocked into Trann, forcing him into the wall with a grunt. Leia shot the lanky, brown-haired youth a sharp glare over her shoulder which was returned with a sheepish grin. Along with Kara, the two had volunteered and been authorised by Mothma to join the rescue party. Leia was somewhat sceptical that their claim of simply wishing to rescue a fellow Corellian was reason enough to volunteer for a mission where the intel was being provided by Vader, especially considering Han's 'charming' personality that didn't exactly endear him to many people, but they had steadfast, proven loyalty to the rebellion and Leia could think of no justifiable reason to refuse them. Kara's explanation that she had lived, flown and fought alongside Chewie and Lando and wished to aid their friend was much more believable.

Luke, still crouched, took half a step forward and paused again, apparently studying the floor intently. Lando peered down beside him as well, trying to see what the Jedi saw, but it was only when he gave up and looked away that he saw something out of the corner of his vision. He looked down again but this time unfocused his eyes and used his peripheral vision, and in the faint glow of an emergency light they had passed several paces behind, he could just about make out a hairline fracture scrawling a ragged line across the floor before them. He followed the jagged splinter from one side of the corridor to the other, and along the foot of the wall on his side.

He glanced at Luke to find the young man had closed his eyes and he was so still that if Lando didn't know any better he would have sworn that the Jedi had fallen asleep on his haunches. The others were impatient to get going but they had faith in him and waited quietly, too well-trained to fidget.

Luke's eyes abruptly flew open. He rose to his feet, stretched forth his hand – With a thundering groan that reverberated underfoot, a huge chunk of the durasteel floor before them was torn asunder along the fracture from wall to wall. The cross-section edge of the floor with snapped cables and protruding struts elevated before them, swinging high above their heads, continuing until it started bending backwards on itself, further and further as the screeching continued to fill their ears, until at long last it came to a quiet rest upside down on the other side.

Luke's closer friends calmly looked to him for direction. Trann and Mezei, never having personally witnessed the legendary abilities of the Jedi before, stared wide-eyed at the gaping hole created before them from where a faint orange glow emitted. Kara was a picture of cool indifference.

Luke glanced at the others, grinned, and plunged head first into the hole. There was a soft gasp from Leia as they all rushed to the edge.

They found themselves staring down from the ceiling of an immense cavern that must have comprised the main bulk of the droid foundry. The enormous facility was filled with a jumbled mishmash of conveyor belts and transport pipes stretching every which way at numerous different heights. Thin beams of orange and yellow light along various support struts cast eerie shadows of suspended mechanical arms into the murky gloom. Giant vats now lay empty but would once have contained molten metal, with steam vent funnels gaping above them alongside connecting tubes.

Movement caught their eye. Luke was waving to them from a raised platform slightly to their right, a dizzyingly long drop from their elevated passageway but still only half way down to the factory floor. Meeting Leia's eyes he raised an arm out across the huge factory. She followed the line of his arm and pointing finger –

There, on the far side of the huge cavern before a comparable hole blasted into the wall, was the unmistakable outline of _Slave I_.

* * *

"His orders did not make sense, my lord. He only ever repeated two phrases and was unable to hold a conversation. We were given sufficient doubt that we sought to verify his identity by submitting a request to the Imperial Palace."

"Are you in any doubt as to _my_ identity, Captain?" Anakin demanded in Vader's ominous rumble. It was with the greatest reluctance that he exerted a faint pressure on the man's windpipe, knowing the importance of maintaining his Darth Vader persona. But it would not be for much longer. One way or another, with or without Palpatine's death, the guise would soon become redundant. For Luke's sake, and for the sake of the entire galaxy, he promised himself that it would most definitely be _with_.

Vader's infamy was known throughout all corners of the galaxy and the Captain was gripped with terror from the tales of the Dark Lord's invisible Hand of Death. Even without the light pressure on his throat he probably would have imagined it, and he was shaking his head frantically as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"No, no, Lord Vader, no doubt whatsoever, my lord," he hastened to reassure.

"That is fortunate," Anakin drawled, releasing the man with considerable relief and hooking his thumbs into his utility belt. "Where is the imposter now?"

The Captain drew a shaky breath. "Uh, he was last seen leaving by the third passage –"

"Leaving?" Anakin interrupted.

All colour was quickly draining from the man's face. "We shall locate him at once, my lord, and report with all speed."

"See that you do, _Captain_," Vader said, pointing a threatening finger. With his swirling cape spelling his displeasure, he marched into the captain's office that he had procured for himself and sealed himself in.

* * *

They all scaled a fibercord grappling hook down to one of the conveyor belts criss-crossing the factory where they were joined moments later by Luke. They made their way stealthily towards _Slave I_ under cover of the numerous other conveyor belts, platforms, vats, supporting turrets, barrels and crates that surrounded them.

They were half way there when the Force drew Luke's attention. He glanced back to see Trann was reaching for leverage to hoist himself up onto the platform to follow the rest of the group. Luke's gaze narrowed in on the thin wire running alongside the edge, not visible from Trann's angle, and instinctively Luke knew it was bad news.

He also knew it was too late, but still he reached out with the Force in a bid to draw him back –

Trann's fingers tapped the wire –

The effect was instantaneous. With a deep rumble the droid foundry lurched to life, with assembly lines whirring into movement, and various machinery and deactivated engineer droids springing into action to fulfil the sole purpose for which they were programmed. To create droids.

The Force screamed at him a split second before the giant metal press came thudding down straight on top of them. There was no time to shout any warning; Luke repelled Leia with the Force, throwing them both clear from its deadly path in opposite directions. Leia crashed into Lando as they went tumbling on the other side from Luke, who rolled back towards Kara and Chewie.

'_Luke?_' came Anakin's concerned voice in his head, having picked up on the warning in the Force.

There was a succession of booming thuds as other metal presses began smashing down further along the conveyor belt which had abruptly lurched to life. They were now being carried along beneath mechanical claws and contraptions attempting to mould and attach droid parts, heedless of whether any human or Wookiee parts were snagged in the process.

A metal arm fitted with a sonic blade came whizzing across at Leia and Lando's heads.

"Look out!" Luke shouted. But fortunately the two of them were already leaping sideways to avoid being beheaded, just as Chewie shoved Luke and Kara away from a robotic arm punching down a series of bolts before them.

"Leia?" Luke called instinctively.

"We're fine!" came her answering call over the din of the machinery. He could just about see her and Lando through the rise and fall of the metal presses in between them.

Somehow, in amongst dodging the lethal contraptions and keeping an eye out for his friends, Luke managed to find the spare mental capacity to reply to his anxious father. '_It's a good bet Boba Fett knows we're here, he's reactivated the droid assembly!_'

The responding wave of concern emanating from his father was expected, but Luke was perplexed to sense that it also carried the deep sorrow he was coming to associate with memories of his mother. It occurred to him then that a trace of it had been there ever since the _Falcon_ had appeared over Geonosis, although he had been too distracted with thoughts of Han, and later Mara Jade, to register what little of it leaked through his father's shields.

'_Father, what is it?_'

Anakin seemed to give himself a mental shake. '_Not now, son, you need to focus. You have to get out of there._ _You can get through, but you _must_ be careful_,' he cautioned.

'_When am I ever not careful?_' Luke replied perfectly innocently just as he was forced to leap sideways to avoid being thrown up in the air. A section of the conveyor belt abruptly lurched up, spun upside down and jammed straight back down to mash two lumps of metal together. His father's response was unintelligible but sounded suspiciously like a growl.

"We'll go round!" Leia shouted from an increasing distance away.

"Stay with Lando!" Luke hollered back, hopefully while they were still within hearing range. He spotted Trann and Mezei who were sheltering under another conveyor belt slightly above and running off at a tangent to his own. They appeared to have found the only safe, stationary spot in the entire factory and looked loathe to leave it. "You two work together. Make your way to _Slave I_."

He followed after Kara and Chewie as they navigated their own cautious way towards Fett's ship – and Han.

* * *

Anakin paced the small office like a trapped Krayt dragon. He could confidently launch head-first into battle, lead men to victory against hoards of enemy soldiers and strategise brilliant battle plans, but all this infernal _waiting_ while his son headed into an encounter with Boba Fett in the middle of a reactivated droid foundry was beyond his sparse reserves of patience.

He glared at the small remote resting upside-down and tilted against the wall on the desk where he had previously cast it aside in frustration. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, reminding himself that Luke was a Jedi. He could handle the droid foundry. After all, Padmé had...

Anakin immediately clamped down on that train of thought; Luke did not need the distraction of his father's memories right now, especially considering how he had already picked up on it during the earlier lapse in concentration. Despite Anakin's best attempts at keeping his inner turmoil concealed, being in the very place that had sparked his and Padmé's relationship was proving too much of a strain. The memories were clamouring for attention, struggling to break free of his control. He cast another blanket of shielding over it all but he knew that he couldn't keep them hidden from Luke's perceptiveness for long. The boy's affinity with the Force was remarkable, picking up on the faintest traces floating in the Force. Padmé would have been so proud...

He brought himself up short again and huffed in irritation. Evidently all this waiting was doing him no good and he was more likely to endanger Luke with his distracting thoughts. Abruptly setting his mind in resolve, he marched forward, snatched the remote into his hand and depressed the switch before he could change his mind for the tenth time.

* * *

Luke cautiously peered around from behind the cover of an old barrel peppered with rusted holes. _Slave I_ rested some thirty paces away on a raised platform and the bounty hunter was making fast work of replacing a patch of hull plating with a sonic welder and mesh tape. To Luke's dismay, it looked as if the internal repairs had been completed sufficiently for Boba Fett to make his leave. He reached for Leia's presence and located her towards the bow of the ship. Focusing that way he could make out a few dark curls of Lando's hair over the top of the platform.

He slid back down and turned to his companions. _Leia_, _Lando_, he mouthed, and indicated a ship, then over on the other side. Chewie nodded and waved his bowcaster. Distraction. Luke grinned. Glancing at Kara to convey the same – _Mara_, a voice corrected in the back of his head which he firmly pushed aside for the time being – he drew his blaster, leaving his lightsaber attached to his belt.

Luke nodded once, then they were charging out at full pelt, firing everything within their arsenal and creating a considerable ruckus. To his credit, as if he had been expecting them at that very moment all along, Boba Fett simply threw himself sideways into a roll, came up in a crouch and engulfed them in flames.

The Force had sang out in warning and Luke was already waving his hand, throwing up a flat durasteel sheet that must have once comprised the side of an old crate as a shield. Fett promptly bombarded them with a torrent of his powerful EE-3 rifle fire. Chewie's growling turned into a raging roar as he dove for cover with his companions, the fur on his shoulder smoking from where the flame cone had come too close for comfort.

Both sides maintained the heavy bombardment of the other, moving swiftly from one position to another as soon as whatever decrepit object was providing some flimsy cover exploded under the assault. Luke spotted Leia running towards the open ramp of _Slave I_ at one point, but was too busy trying to draw Boba Fett's attention while avoiding the resulting deluge of deadly fire to see whether she had made it into the ship. They made rapid work of demolishing everything, destroying crates, machinery and equipment and scattering the area in splintered debris.

Soon after, Luke found himself within twenty paces of the yawning mouth of Fett's ship. He waited only a second for Kara and Chewie to start firing back at Boba Fett before he was running in a half-crouch straight for the ship. Before he had gone half the distance, however, an eruption of flames directly before him forced him to lurch to a halt, wheel around and duck behind one of the few crates remaining intact. Kara caught up with him in seconds, throwing herself down and crashing against him as she narrowly avoided a volley of blaster fire by a hair's breadth.

"Have you lost your mind?" she hissed at him.

He blinked at her obvious anger. "What?"

"Running out into the open? Are you completely crazy?"

He shrugged. "Had to be done. Boba Fett can't suspect this is a diversion." There was a pause in the pounding from the bounty hunter's weapons and Luke threw an arm over the top of the crate to return his fair share of blaster fire.

"And you thought getting turned into a roasted delicacy was the way to do that?"

Even amidst all the very real danger of their current situation, Luke couldn't help the almost shy, teasing grin that appeared on his face. "Hey, were you worried?"

Her green eyes flashed at him in hot indignation just before she seemed to remember herself and her whole demeanour shifted into a mask of concern. "Of course I was, you mophead," she said with feigned kindness. "Somebody has to knock some sense into you, you're no use to anyone dead."

Even knowing that she was Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, it was startling for Luke to see her 'Kara' mask slipping into place before his very eyes. He wondered what had made her so angry in the first place, but they were immediately running again as the crate exploded beside them.

As they flattened themselves against two pillars stretching up to the high ceiling, they saw Leia and Lando sprint down the ramp and away from _Slave I_ pushing a hovering slab of metal before them.

"Han!" Luke whispered just as an unmistakable howl deafened him in one ear, telling him that Chewie had caught up with them.

Unfortunately Boba Fett had also spotted them in the same instant and immediately changed the course of his attacks. Luke and Chewie instinctively moved as one, accompanied by the latter's enraged roar, as they charged the bounty hunter from behind with no further thought than to prevent him from recapturing their friend.

Chewie's long strides ate up the distance between them first and he collided with Boba Fett in a frenzied, deadly mass of limbs, with rifle and bowcaster barely held at bay and firing off way too close to faces for any rational thought.

Instinct took over. His lightsaber flew into hand and was activated; the Force was summoned, drawn, moulded to his command. He was a Jedi knight in dark robes with his shining green blade, a picture of perfect calm in sharp relief against the furious activity before him.

"Go, Chewie," Luke ordered in a voice that carried without shouting.

In the moment Chewie broke free, Boba Fett made to follow Leia and Lando's retreating forms. But he also cast a glance over his shoulder at Luke at the same time and the sight pulled him up short. It was as near to a double take as the bounty hunter had ever come. Chewie, with hesitant steps growing gradually more confident, turned and went after Leia and Lando.

The ringing of blaster fire and explosions died away, leaving only the background hub of machinery. Luke had no idea why the sight of him had made the bounty hunter pause or the reason for the astonishing intensity of hate directed solely at him, but he was not about to waste words to find out. It turned out, however, that he didn't have to.

"_Jedi_," the mechanised voice spat in contempt.

It was enough for Luke to know that his presence might well have saved his friends. The two faced off, circling each other in the field of debris.

* * *

It had taken all of Threepio's powers of persuasion to convince the short droid to _stay put_ as Master Luke had ordered, but his relief at Artoo abruptly changing his mind and ceasing his attempts to leave the _Falcon_ had been short lived when it soon became apparent that the astromech droid had simply developed another agenda.

"Just what are you doing now?" Threepio asked nervously as Artoo trundled up to a computer terminal and plugged himself in. For the last few minutes the golden droid had been watching in anxious confusion as Artoo had been rolling backwards and forwards around the _Falcon_ and feeding into the ship's programming here or fusing something there.

Still plugged into whatever he was doing, Artoo swivelled his domed head to place Threepio in his visual receptor as he responded with a series of bleeps.

"What do you mean, you're going to help?" Threepio demanded as he listened to the droid. "Twenty-five years ago? What are you talking about? Artoo-Detoo, you have never been to Geonosis in your life!"

Artoo ignored him and continued with a train of cheery chirps.

"Now, you know how Captain Solo doesn't like us to touch his ship. He's very particular, you know."

There was a series of perfectly unconcerned beeps.

"Well!" Threepio cried in offended astonishment. "Don't rely on me to stand up for you when he becomes angry with all your meddling!"

Artoo gave a trill of explanatory whistles.

"_Thank_ you?" Threepio exclaimed. "No, I don't think he'll thank you at all. He'll probably have Master Luke sell you back to those Jawas, and me as well for not stopping you. And it will be all your fault."

Artoo splat a raspberry at him before trundling off down the corridor.

Threepio tottered after him in a vain attempt to restrain his head-strong, defiant counterpart. "Artoo, come back here at once, I haven't finished!"

* * *

Chewie charged on, propelling Han's carbonite slab before him. Leia and Lando ran after him, either dodging or blasting at deadly droid construction units. Chewie howled in frustration as he realised that the conveyor belt abruptly disappeared before him, wrapping under and doubling back beneath them. He rapidly hauled himself and Han's slab to a halt, stumbling a step as his friends smacked into him before they could stop.

"That's not good!" Lando cried.

The belt carried them forwards as they continued to backpedal, but the thudding noises of giant metal presses behind them alerted them that their options were running out.

"Here." Leia pulled the grappling hook from her utility belt. Chewie growled, taking the end and waving her forward.

She understood. "No, Chewie, we need you to take Han. You go on, we'll follow."

A thud boomed out directly behind them, cutting off their options. They scrambled to attach the free end to a loop of metal and Chewie hollered as they all swung off the conveyor belt clinging to each other just as a large press thudded down where they had been standing.

They fell into a large, curved vat with a crash. Chewie took one look at the carbonite slab and gave a wretched howl. The repulsors had broken. The slab lay against the curved edge of the vat, a heavy dead weight. Looking up, they spotted a ladder leading out of the vat but it ended above Chewie's reach. They would need to stand on each others' shoulders, as well as somehow lifting the considerable weight of the slab. There were more howls of frustration.

"It's ok, we'll unfreeze him. Lando," Leia prompted.

"Are you sure?" he asked uncertainly. "I can do it but he'll probably have hibernation sickness, it'll be best to have medics on hand."

"We won't get him out as a carbonite slab," she snapped.

"But –"

There was a whirring up ahead, and they all looked up to see the edge of a funnel appear over head. It was slowly moving across, as if to align with the vat –

"Hurry, Lando!"

He didn't need any more encouragement. There was no way that funnel was about to deliver anything healthy to humans. He began the unfreezing process and prayed that Han would defrost quickly enough.

* * *

Boba Fett was remarkably agile for a non-Force sensitive. He positively flew around the scene of destruction as he brought all his weapons to bear on the focus of his hate. Luke himself was merely a dark blur behind the whizzing green lightsaber, deflecting the deluge of DUR-24 laser and EE-3 rifle fire and nimbly dodging the blazing flames lapping at his heels. The occasional blaster fire sizzled past Luke to distract Boba Fett, the only indication of Kara keeping track of them concealed in shadows.

Luke's primary aim was to impede the bounty hunter long enough for his friends to escape with Han. Had he killed Boba Fett he would have bought them much more time, but there was a reluctance that stayed his hand on several occasions when there was an opening to deliver a lethal blow. It was in pursuit of Luke that his father had initially employed bounty hunters to hunt down his friends, which had initiated the particular sequence of events leading to this moment where Boba Fett now leaped all around him trying to find an opening in his guard. He felt a twinge of responsibility that Fett had ended up being his opponent.

Boba Fett was an experienced enough combatant to notice his opponent's restraint. "You toy with fire, Jedi."

Luke crouched above him on a conveyor belt chugging along in jerky movements. There was clearly a broken link somewhere. "I don't wish to kill you," he replied calmly, still keenly alert regardless of the lull in their duel.

He sensed the answering smirk concealed within the mask moments before Fett aimed his DUR-24 slightly off to Luke's side. Sparks flew as the laser seared through the broken link, then an ear-splitting screech brought the conveyor belt careening down towards the floor. Luke arched through the air, his eyes glancing to measure up the patch of ground where he would land – only to find it suddenly erupt in a blaze thanks to that infernal flame thrower.

Luke curled into a ball and drew the Force around him like a solid blanket. He felt the heat of the flames but knew he was safely shielded from it, and in the next instant he threw the shield outward, practically a solid mass of the Force that was visible and malleable only to him, in a sweeping curve toward the bounty hunter.

The invisible shockwave knocked the breath from Boba Fett's lungs as he was hurled through the air, smashing backwards into the patch of _Slave I_'s hull that he had only just repaired with such force that a dazed part of his mind wondered if he would leave a Mandalorian-armour-shaped dent. He fell to the floor with a grunt, struggling to refocus on the Jedi. His head felt sluggish, churning nauseatingly, and his languid limbs refused to cooperate. He could only stare in morbid curiosity as Luke raised an arm, seeming to cause what looked like the entire mass of shattered debris from the whole foundry floor to float up into the air – before the entirety was dumped unceremoniously over his head.

Laughter greeted Luke's ears. "How much do you reckon he'd pay to keep us from circulating a hologram of that?"

He grinned up at Kara perched on the ledge above and spared an amused glance at the green boots sticking out from under the considerable mound of rubble. "Come on, he's probably concussed but it won't hold him for long."

* * *

The outline of Han's body began glowing red, and ever so slowly the carbonite melted away to reveal Han's face, then his hands, and gradually the rest of him. Leia glanced up frantically – the funnel was almost aligned! There was a groan and she looked down to find Han rolling to the side, slowly nudging himself into a sitting position.

He was alive! For a moment she entirely forgot where they were and she blinked several times, simply staring at him, almost afraid to believe her own eyes. But no, Han was here, he was alive!

Ever since Bespin her fears had fuelled a constant state of anxiety within her, but now, confronted with his breathing, moving, undeniably and gloriously alive self, all the tension abruptly dispersed. A choked sound somewhere between a sob and a strangled cry escaped her as her legs turned to jelly with crippling relief and she tumbled down onto him.

There was a grunt and Han instinctively raised his arms to push his assailant away, but then he caught a glimpse of large, sparkling brown eyes and he paused. Recognition flashed briefly across his face before it was followed swiftly by confusion and total incomprehension as though he failed to understand the overwhelming joy etched in her every feature.

"Leia?" he asked uncertainly, concern evident even through his croaky voice. He coughed, frowning at his own hoarseness. "What is it?"

"Oh, Han," she managed to choke out as her throat constricted. She shook her head in fond frustration, smiling through the tears prickling her eyes as she pulled him into a fierce embrace.

As he tentatively wrapped his arms around her, a roar drew his attention over her shoulder. "Chewie?"

The Wookiee's elation only added to his confusion, increased still further as he gradually registered how his entire body felt as if gundarks had been fighting over it for dinner. He opened his mouth to question but the words never left his mouth. A look of dawning horror spread across his face and tension rippled through his frame.

"Vader!" he hissed, and Leia knew he was remembering something of his last conscious moments. Her heart wrenched – how things had changed! However, before she could reassure him, fumbling hands still numb from the long hibernation were grasping at the empty space left by his absent holster.

"Blast it! Chewie! Get Leia out of here. Give me a blaster and I'll hold him off –"

During his tirade he had lurched, an odd movement where his upper body jerked as if preparing to stand but lacking the rest of the movement that usually accompanied it, and his outburst faded in shock as he blinked at his lower limbs stretched out uselessly before him.

"My legs..." But then he shook his head, throwing the matter aside as unimportant for the time being and he shoved Leia away from him towards his hairy friend. "Chewie, don't just stand there, get Leia out of here!"

"It's hibernation sickness," Lando said from the side, speaking to the other two in the face of Han's temporary confusion. "He'll regain use of his legs in time."

Han's head snapped up. He might not have remembered being frozen in carbonite yet but he had no difficulty placing that voice and the betrayal. "Lando! You no good, swindling, double-crossing –"

Leia had returned to his side and now stopped him with a firm hand over his mouth. The look in her eyes, a baffling combination of affection, urgency and some inner turmoil he couldn't quite identify – despair? he wondered – brought him up short.

Her firm voice reflected the urgency. "We'll explain fully later but Vader isn't here and Lando is a friend. We're in another tight fix we need to get out of first, OK?"

Han had never been one to sit back and let things pass him by, but as he shook his head free from her hand and opened his mouth to retort, Leia fixed him with a pointed stare. _Trust me_, was the message he received loud and clear from those deep brown eyes. He hesitated but her gaze only became more insistent, and he nodded reluctantly.

He might have agreed to drop it but that didn't mean he had to like it. He was throwing Lando a hostile glare when Chewie started hollering beside them.

"Funnel?" Han repeated in Basic. "What funnel?"

The Wookiee was now gesturing wildly up at the ladder as he growled.

"Lift you?" Han said in confusion.

It was all the translation the others needed. Lando braced himself against the wall of the vat, bending his legs slightly and meshing his fingers to create a foothold on his thighs.

"This is _not_ going to work," he complained as the hundred and fifty kilo Wookiee went to step up. Leia joined them, drawing deep within herself to push Chewie up with as much strength as she could muster as he jumped for the bottom rung of the ladder. Hairy paws reached up – and just managed to cling on.

Lando was gingerly rubbing his legs as Chewie gave a triumphant howl and pulled himself up. He hooked his feet behind the outside bars, ankles resting on the bottom rung, and lowered himself down backwards until he was hanging upside down with his arms swinging in reach of the humans below.

Leia grinned. "Brilliant, Chewie!"

There was a resonant click above them and they all glanced up to see the funnel had aligned and its mouth was sliding open.

They all spoke at once.

"What's that –?"  
"Not now, Han!"  
"Leia, give me a hand –!"  
_Rrrhhhoooaaawwrrrr!_

Between them they somehow managed to throw Han up to grab Chewie's paws, who hauled him up to grab onto the ladder. Han hung there by his arms beside Chewie as Leia was next pulled up.

"Go, Leia!" Lando shouted as he reached for Chewie. Leia was loathe to leave Han behind even for a second but she knew there wasn't enough room for all four of them at the bottom of the narrow ladder and she headed up.

When Lando had also secured a hold on the ladder, Chewie righted himself, grabbed Han under one arm and started hauling his way up after Leia without any obvious hindrance despite having one limb laden down. Lando brought up the rear and they all rushed up the ladder, falling over the lip of the vat at the top.

Lando snatched his legs up after him as a torrent of glowing amber liquid gushed down the funnel amidst a great spurt of steam.

Lying in a heap on the ledge circumventing the tank, they stared as a molten metal pool rapidly filled the space they had just vacated.

Even through his incomprehension at what the hell was going on, it was Han who found his tongue first. "Never a dull moment, huh?" he mused with a lopsided grin. He received only a deafening howl as warning before he was caught up in a hairy, bone-crushing hug.

"I'm all right, pal," he managed to say through squashed lungs, patting Chewie's arm.

There was a series of ominous clicks. Their heads snapped up – and they found themselves staring down the barrels of a dozen E-5 blaster rifles.

* * *

Luke and Kara dodged and ducked and dove their way along the lethal assembly line still thudding and drilling and whizzing away creating droids, generally heading towards the side of the huge cavern in the direction the others had taken. They paused when they stumbled across a rare, sheltered, quiet spot at an intersection between three adjoining belts.

Luke pointed out an access tunnel halfway up along the wide expanse of wall. "The docking stations are closer to the surface, we need to get back to that higher level."

They eyed the rapid succession of metal presses booming down along the long, thin belt trailing up to the dark opening and looked at each other.

"Scared?" Kara's lips were curved in a teasing grin.

He grinned back. "No, you?"

Her only response was to break for the access tunnel. Luke was hot on her heels as they alternately sprinted or stopped dead in an attempt to evade the metal presses.

The way ahead was clear, twenty more steps and they would be off this deadly conveyor belt and into the relative safety of the access tunnel. They sprinted across, making a beeline for the doorway. Fifteen steps. Now ten. Nine. Eight –

Out of the blue, a giant hammer swung across their path and smashed Kara off the bridge.

Aside from the crunching pain as her whole body was clobbered, she was immediately concerned as to where she would end up. There was nothing below them except for a long drop into a metal cruncher. Her body sailed through the air –

She was abruptly wrenched to a stop as someone grabbed her left hand. The air was knocked from her lungs with a grunt and her arm felt as if it would tear out of her shoulder. As her body swung like a pendulum she looked up to find Luke staring intently down at her, his face tense with exertion as he kept his crushing grip on her with one hand as the other grasped an adjoining loop jutting out from the side of the conveyor belt. She felt the air swirl around her and a moment later, incredibly, he hoisted her up with just one arm, high enough that she could grasp the same bit of metal as he had been. He then flipped himself up on the conveyor belt and reached down to haul her up after him. Her right leg gave way in agonising protest but Luke caught her and he half carried, half dragged her along with him as they dodged another swinging hammer and finally managed to make it to the relative safety of the tunnel where they collapsed.

They lay there panting, regaining their breath.

Everything hurt – her right leg ached, there was a terrible shooting pain in her ribs with every breath, the right side of her face pulsated and both shoulders throbbed. But even if she felt as if she had just been run over by a stampeding bantha herd, she knew she likely would have died had Luke not caught her.

"Thank you, Luke," she murmured.

The Force shifted, turned to regard them, held its breath. It was time.

"You're welcome, Mara."


	10. The rescue – part 2

Hi everyone,

Less than two weeks for this update! :)

As ever, I'm grateful to all you lovely people who took the time to review (a special mention for 'Bec' who left me such an incredible review that I was smiling for the whole week! But I couldn't PM you so _Thank You!_).

Hope you all enjoy this chapter too.

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 10. The rescue – part 2**

"Captain! Sir, are you there?"

The Captain bolted upright in his seat, promptly forgetting about the report he had been reading as he snatched up the comlink with equal measures of eagerness and trepidation. "Yes, Lieutenant, go ahead."

"Sir, we have located the imposter."

He gripped the comlink harder. "You're positive?"

"Yes, sir, he was spotted by a squad heading into a disused service shaft. My men are double checking the blueprints but we believe it might link with one of the decommissioned droid foundries. Shall we intercept?"

There was no time for relief. His heart hammered and his hands went clammy, but he willed his voice to be steady. "No, pass the order to continue surveillance but do not intercept." He cleared his throat. "I will inform Lord Vader."

* * *

"Submit identification," the mechanical monotone demanded. "Identify Han Solo."

They all stared past the E-5 blaster rifles at the B1 battle droids holding them up at gunpoint.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Han said. "Where did you old fossils come from?"

There was a momentary pause. "Identification does not compute. Submit identification."

Han laughed. "Are they for real?"

There was a clatter of metal on metal and the passageway behind the initial group filled with more droids, all of which also pointed their weapons at them.

"Great, bring it on!" Han exclaimed. "The more the merrier!"

Leia merely only shook her head at him and turned to the lead droid. "What do you want with Han Solo?"

Suddenly all the droids levelled their rifles at her. "Preliminary identification established. Confirm identification, Han Solo."

"I don't think they want to be your friend, buddy," Lando quipped.

"Maybe I'll just tell them _you're_ Han Solo, you scumbag," Han threw back. He instantly found himself staring down the barrels of more than twenty rifles. "Ugh, give me a break! First I have to be a frozen sculpture and now this?"

"If it's any consolation, I thought you were pure art," Lando said, masking guilt with sarcasm.

"Yeah, well, I may be a beauty to behold but it was still colder than Hoth in that Kriffing carbonite!"

While the two argued, Leia had been busy furtively glancing all around them for an escape route. "There's a service platform alongside us, we'll go left," she said quietly, trusting the droids not to understand her. Chewie woofed softly in acknowledgement and secured an arm around Han's middle.

"Final alert," the lead droid droned. "Confirm identification, Han Solo."

Leia spoke clearly, pointing behind the droids. "There's Han Solo!"

She was banking on the droids having sufficient navigation programming to understand the blatant direction, even if their language coding was only basic, and she was proven correct when all the droids turned as one and began shooting behind them.

"Go!" she hissed. They leaped down onto the service platform and made a mad break for it. Turning left momentarily placed the vat between them, and Leia fired across the amber liquid just as the droids turned back around having not found Han Solo behind them. The blaster shot skimmed the surface, spraying the nearest battle droids with liquid metal which seared through their visual receptors, armour and rifles.

She had only bought them a little time, however. The droids in the rear merely climbed over their fallen comrades and picked up the pursuit. Leia and the others fired over their shoulders as they continued to run.

* * *

_Mara_. The name hung in the air.

"You know." A statement, not a question. Even with the impressive bruise forming on one side of her face, she managed to take on an expression of haughty disdain as all signs of camaraderie faded away. "It took you long enough."

Luke's head tilted fractionally in admission. He was aware of her hand reaching for the blaster at her side but he made no move for his own weapon.

Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. "If you knew, why did you save me?"

Luke remained serene in the face of her demanding tone. "You deserve better," he said simply.

Emerald eyes blazed. "_Better_?" she repeated, mocking his ignorance. "I am the Emperor's Hand, I already _have_ the best! The Emperor himself took me personally under his wing, gave me the best training and made me the best I could be."

Luke said nothing. He studied her, tracing her face as he seemed to consider something.

"What?" she demanded.

He sighed, his presence touched by sadness, and he shook his head. "Nothing." He drew his legs beneath himself to stand but she grasped his arm, shoving her blaster threateningly in his face.

"Look here, Skywalker. I've had enough of your wise looks and whatever it is that you're thinking in that righteous head of yours. I asked you a question and you _will_ answer it." Although she would never admit it in a million years, the most infuriating part of it all was that she actually wanted to know. It was just reconnaissance, she told herself. It definitely wasn't curiosity.

He ignored her blaster, simply regarding her with a look of patient consideration that made her feel like a naughty child and ticked her off in completely the wrong way. Just when she thought she would explode at him in frustration, he relented.

"All right," he said, settling comfortably on the floor again. "You have great potential, Mara."

One raised eyebrow was the only response he received. Speak of the obvious.

"You could be so much more. Did you know you're Force sensitive?" He searched her eyes only to be met with an impenetrable wall of disdain. "You could be a Jedi Knight some day. Or Sith," he amended at her arched look of disgust.

"My master trains me in the ways of the Force. It's none of your business what I can or can't do."

"He has given you basic training at best, nothing close to stretching you to your full potential. He has used the access to your mind to suppress your natural abilities. He's holding you back."

She shook her head in disappointment. "I thought you would be smarter to think of something more convincing than this."

"Are you aware of what you can do, even without extensive training?" he continued, undeterred. "On Yavin 13, you convinced a group of five troopers to take Leia onto the medium transport."

She frowned. What did that have to do with anything?

"When you spoke to them, were you surprised how easily they agreed?"

"Of course not –"

"They were influenced by the Force, Mara. I felt it."

"This is ridiculous."

"Even with your limited training, your great Force potential still aids you in your missions. How many times have you sensed danger before it occurred? Or had an intuition that turned out to be correct? "

"They're just basic skills," she dismissed. "I mastered them years ago."

Both statements were debatable but Luke let them go. He knew of something else which nobody could claim was basic. "You can hear the Emperor's voice from anywhere in the galaxy. That itself is proof of your deep connection to the Force."

She had no idea how Skywalker had come to learn such a closely guarded secret – it was only known to a few individuals carefully selected by her master. She began to have a sense of things perhaps not being entirely as she believed them to be, but she refused to let him see how his words affected her. "My master worked hard to establish the connection," she insisted with a confidence she didn't feel.

"He's using you. Everyone is a tool to him."

"Not me," she retorted.

Blue eyes shimmered. "Especially you."

Outrage flared.

"And anyone else he invites into his inner circle," he continued before she could argue. "He gives you a sense of empowerment and importance, just enough to keep you hooked, but never to achieve your full potential. If you deviate from his absolute authority, he makes you suffer until you succumb, then he rewards you for your returning faithfulness. It's a form of control, it keeps you tied to him. He makes you resent him but need him, makes you capable enough to serve him but never enough so you can leave him."

Of course, Mara was unquestionably loyal to her master and she had never before entertained such a point of view, but the words triggered flashbacks of her carefully regimented upbringing. It couldn't be argued that her master dealt both instruction and discipline with the same hand. And where encouragement one moment could so easily transform into harsh punishment the next, dreading the pain of his corrections left her in an almost desperate state of striving to please him. He had once explained that he had to be severe for her own good, to eliminate indolence and ensure she always aimed to better herself. And she believed it, as she did everything else he told her. But here was another possibility entirely. Part of her training was on objective analysis, examining the evidence with an open mind, and the cogs in her mind started turning in an area she had hitherto been conditioned not to consider.

Fear stirred in the face of the unknown, on the doorstep of uncertainty, and she experienced an overzealous desire to defend her master and her position in his service. "My master was right. He warned me you would use all manner of deception and treachery to undermine my loyalty."

Luke sighed. "He hasn't been honest with you. Does he tell you that you are the only Emperor's Hand?"

She snapped back at him instantly. "I _am_ the only Emperor's Hand!"

He shook his head. "There are many others. Even back when he was the Chancellor of the Old Republic and he had to conceal the fact that he was Sith, he had numerous spies and assassins. The Rule of Two restricts him to a single apprentice so he has a network of agents, all strictly operatives. He has largely hidden you from each other and made you all believe you are the only one, to keep you loyal."

"No!" But even as she automatically protested, she recalled occasions in the past when certain individuals in the Imperial Palace had caught her attention. A musician, a private guard, an adviser, a technician, a door attendant – they all to a fault looked as if they belonged there, as she herself did when disguised as a court dancer, but they almost looked as if they belonged _too well_, and her trained eye had detected signs of superior movement and skill concealed beneath a veneer of normality. She had even tracked a waiter once, convinced that he was a spy, but her master had put a stop to that – _he's been taken care of_, he had said, then given her an urgent assignment. Had that merely been a diversion? And the Emperor was always very careful exactly when she was admitted to his presence... Rather than being _the_ Emperor's Hand, might she only be one of many?

Yet another attack on already shaken foundations made for an explosive combination. She shook her head furiously. "He wouldn't conceal something like that from me!"

She thrust forward the blaster in anger, intending to fire, but Luke moved blindingly fast and wrenched it out of her hand. Her natural reaction would have been to lash out at him in another way but his next two words shocked her off-kilter.

"Your parents." He met her eyes gravely. "They died a terrible, unnatural death, Mara. I won't tell you what happened, but if even the smallest part of you is wondering if I speak the truth, if you've felt anything at all for us during your time with the rebellion, then go to the Emperor's Surgical Reconstruction Center and search his classified archives for your parents' medical log. You'll find the truth there and all the proof you'll require to know just who, and what, was involved."

Her eyes widened at the implication and she felt ill. It was too much.

"Lies, all lies!" She struggled to stand, bracing herself against the wall. Luke reached out to help but she slapped his hand away. "You're fortunate that I'm injured, else I would kill you right here. You know nothing. You've never even met the Emperor, how could you know any of this?"

He said nothing, simply tilted his head as if to ask, _Do you really want to know?_ She glared at him, her anger intensifying as he continued to sit there with perfect composure whilst her own was shot to pieces.

"Why don't you amaze me," she taunted with an indifference she didn't feel. "What fantastic rationalisation have you come up with?"

He considered her, the Force swirling. "Vader."

She looked at him and burst into genuine, sardonic laughter. "_Vader_? Oh, this is good. You're really pulling out all the stops now."

"Vader knows the intricate workings of the inner circle around the Emperor, he knows of your training and missions, he knows of your potential. He knows, Mara."

"And why in the galaxy would Lord Vader tell _you_?"

"It's yet another fact that the Emperor thought you didn't need to know." Luke spoke with deadly seriousness. "Vader is my father."

She stared at him, torn between laughing and simply gaping – as she already seemed to be doing. The suggestion was so ridiculous that she wondered how Skywalker could possibly think she'd believe it. And yet, it was _so_ ridiculous that it almost could be...

"Your father?" she repeated as a nervous shiver clawed its way down her spine.

"Why did Palpatine send you into the rebellion, Mara? Was it to spy on me and gauge the nature of my relationship with my father? Vader wasn't briefed on the mission objectives so he had to guess, but that fact in itself suggests he might be right." The look on her face seemed to confirm it as well. "Palpatine suspected that Vader will join forces with me and betray him, that's why you were sent to investigate."

Her mind quickly connected a series of dots and her green eyes suddenly gleamed as if she had just stumbled upon a valuable bounty. If Vader was telling the Jedi secrets, it was strongly indicative that he was indeed plotting with Skywalker. And telling secrets Vader certainly was. Speculation aside, there were elements in what Skywalker had just mentioned which could only have come from a close, inside source. She would be proud to inform her master of her findings, a potent arsenal to bring down the Sith Lord. And who knows? Perhaps she might take Vader's place at her master's right hand...

But then, just as quickly, her face drained of all colour as another natural conclusion occurred to her. Vader telling Skywalker secrets in order to gain an ally also increased the likelihood of the Jedi telling the truth.

The fear that had started stirring earlier now distended into a dead weight and lodged itself squarely in her gut. In only a few minutes Skywalker had brought her entire existence into question, leaving her unexpectedly, thoroughly shaken.

It was only due to a desperation to hide just how much he had affected her that she managed to fix on the one clear point she had deduced. "So, Vader has betrayed the Emperor."

This did nothing to affect Skywalker's sage-like calm. Unaware that he and Vader supposed that the Emperor most likely already knew, she attributed his lack of fluster to yet another aspect of his infuriating Jedi qualities.

"Betrayal is the way of the Sith, Mara. Palpatine was no exception, he betrayed and murdered his own master."

"And Vader will betray you."

Luke shook his head. "My father will not betray his family." Thoughts of his mother floated into mind but he firmly put that notion to rest. Darth Vader was no more.

"Palpatine knows this," he continued. "That's why, over twenty years ago, he told my father that his wife had died when she still lived. Vader's family needed to be removed, to ensure his loyalty."

If Mara had thought the idea of Darth Vader having a son was strange enough, the prospect of a wife seemed even more inconceivable.

Luke rose to his feet. She jarred back a step, ignoring the sharp pains and instantly on guard.

"You deserve better, Mara," he said, his voice gentle as he repeated his earlier sentiment. "You've had no one but Palpatine to guide you since you were young and you're not to blame for that. But you need to choose your own path now. You've lived among us for a month now, you know who we are, you've seen for yourself. _We_ aren't the corruption Palpatine would have you believe we are, and _he_ isn't the honourable father figure he would have you believe he is." His blue eyes softened. "And _I_ don't believe you're as cold-hearted as he's tried to make you be."

She was cast adrift in a sea of doubt and fear. In defence against it all she gathered what was familiar to her – anger and hate. She regarded him coldly as she drew herself up to her full height, heedless of her injuries. "I am the Emperor's Hand, Skywalker. And nothing you can say or do will undermine my loyalty to my master."

They stared at each other in stalemate. Mara was all too aware that if the situation was reversed and it was Luke who was injured instead, she wouldn't hesitate to bring him down. She was also aware that the Jedi, in his weak-minded and deluded sense of fairness, wouldn't fight her while she was so disadvantaged.

"I'm leaving now," she stated, as if daring him to stop her. But she knew that he wouldn't.

He did manage to surprise her, however, when he pressed her blaster back into her hand. "Go to the SuRecon Center, if only to prove me wrong." He held on to her hand for a moment longer and gazed deep into her eyes. "You have a great capacity for life, Mara. I'm here for you if you ever decide on another way."

She snatched her hand free and holstered her blaster without thanks. "When we meet again, _Jedi_, it will be the end for you." Unable to face his sad, compassionate blue eyes anymore, she turned her back on him with a defiant flick of her red hair and limped away.

* * *

The cacophony of intense blaster fire reached Luke long before he arrived at the gaping maw in the corridor that must have been blown open when the bounty hunter had crash landed. The crudely exposed wiring and metal work around the floor, walls and ceiling bore the telltale scorch marks of Boba Fett blasting an opening to prevent _Slave I_ from being smashed to pieces in its descent, leaving its explosive path carved along all the levels above and below as if a giant space worm had chomped its way through to the core of the planet. If Luke peered hard enough he could see a small patch of the darkening sky high above him.

It was downwards, however, where his attention was drawn. It was in an old storage warehouse some three levels below him where the battle raged. Leia, Lando and Chewie were hunkered down behind what appeared to be the front end of an old gunship predating the Clone Wars, and advancing on them from the opposite side of the warehouse were hundreds of battle droids. Luke had to blink to check he wasn't imagining things. No, they were still there, an endless stream of pre-Clone War battle droids marching into the warehouse in perfect unison with guns blazing.

Movement across the wide gap caught his attention and he turned that way to find Trann and Mezei were likewise looking down at the battle. They were just one level up from the warehouse and pointing this way and that, as if trying to find a way down. Luke nudged them with the Force and gave them a nod when they spotted him. Trann signalled.

Go down?

No. Wait.

Luke studied the scene below him. As his friends moved to throw some token shots over their cover against the constant deadly fire peppering them, Luke spotted a mass of brown hair amongst them and realised they must have unfrozen Han. His mouth tugged into a grin. He should have known – trust Han to lead them into such ridiculous odds!

The partial gunship was disintegrating rapidly under the heavy fire and Luke knew his friends didn't have much more time under the current assault. He glanced around but found nothing he could use to throw at the droids and knew there was only one option. He caught Trann's eye and signalled.

Hold position. Use height advantage. Provide cover.

Trann saluted his acknowledgement and promptly began raining fire down on the droids with Mezei. Luke summoned his lightsaber to hand and leaped straight down the gaping hole amidst the dense blaster fire. Landing in a whoosh of air directly before the disintegrating gunship, he activated his green blade and engaged the battle droids.

* * *

Boba Fett easily followed the sounds of battle resonating through the droid foundry and located the rebels in the warehouse.

Once he had regained some movement in his limbs it hadn't taken him long to free himself from the mountain of debris he had been buried under, and with his jetpack he had quickly covered the distance between them despite the nauseating sway in his head. But he could deal with the concussion. What irked the most was how the Jedi had toyed with him. He gritted his teeth. Skywalker would learn the error of not taking him seriously.

From his vantage point twelve floors above looking down through the gaping hole he had blasted clear on his arrival, Boba Fett watched as Skywalker pitched head-first into the line of the droids' onslaught and began despatching them in droves. Despite his hatred of all things Jedi he grudgingly had to acknowledge this one's skill. Quite in contrast to Vader's full-on, overpowering style, there was a fluidity that bordered on elegance but still packed equal power. Fett knew that there were thousands more droids activating and heading in their direction but Skywalker's skill was cause for concern – no, he amended, not concern. He just needed a contingency plan. In case the rebels managed to pull off another demonstration of their tiresome propensity to escape tricky situations, he would ensure that the last blast they received was one they could not possibly survive.

He drew forth a thermal detonator.

Before he could charge it, the photoreceptor in his helmet adjusted and zoomed in on the warehouse floor as a new figure entered the fray. He paused as he saw the black mask, armour and cape. Vader? Why was Vader here? And why was he defending the rebels?

But it soon became clear that something wasn't right. Although the figure was wielding Vader's signature lightsaber and meeting the battle droids' blaster fire, there was a motorised, robotic pattern to its movement and Fett realised it couldn't be alive. Only a droid could spin its arms in perfect circles. Had the rebels created it? He could have laughed, if he wasn't feeling so ill.

No sooner had he come to that conclusion than there was a familiar, chilling hiss behind him and Fett spun, his rifle instantly ready in his free hand and trained on the intruder. His head lurched alarmingly, clouding his vision with black spots which cleared so slowly that he was sure he would be dead before he regained his senses.

"Lord Vader," he greeted as soon as he was sure he could speak without vomiting.

It was the genuine article looming not five paces from him, looking as sure-footed and powerful as ever. Damn.

"Your bounty has escaped you," the deep rumble mused.

"Not for long." Boba Fett spared a glance at the activity far down below. The hoard of droids were crowding the two lightsaber wielders with their sheer number and driving them back towards the fragmented gunship.

"The rebels have rescued Solo but every bounty hunter in the Hutt's employ believe you still have him. Not only have you forfeited Jabba's reward, but you will be targeted by others while your ship is heavily damaged, and you are in no condition for combat."

Fett wasn't surprised that Vader had picked up on that last point but did wonder what his game was. The Sith Lord wouldn't be pointing out the obvious unless it served some purpose.

"I offer you a choice, bounty hunter. Leave now, and the Empire will compensate you Jabba's reward."

Fett remained deadpan. "Why?"

"I want Skywalker alive. No disintegrations. You will deactivate the battle droids and leave the rebels to me."

Fett shook his head, an action he immediately regretted. He clenched his jaw and willed the world to stop pitching. "The droids have destroyed their signal receptors. They cannot be deactivated."

There was no noticeable change in the hiss of the respirator but Boba Fett could have sworn it sounded peeved. "The alternative?" he pressed before Vader got any ideas to do something about it.

A blood-red lightsaber hummed to life from within the folds of the black cape.

Ah. Had he just made the alternative worse with the droids not being in his control? He had no idea, but with his blasted concussion he knew he had little choice. But he still hesitated. He had a reputation to uphold – having accepted Jabba's assignment he was duty bound to deliver Solo, whether alive or in pieces.

"It may interest you to learn that Skywalker's father had a hand in the death of Mace Windu."

Fett's gaze narrowed behind his helmet as Vader's words suddenly made it personal. Intimately so. Skywalker's father – presumably he meant Anakin Skywalker? And how would Vader know of that Jedi's deeds?

"Leave, bounty hunter," Vader pressed. "And you will be compensated."

Fett had too many questions but they would do him no good if he followed his father to his grave. He would regroup and investigate. He raised his rifle away from Vader.

"As you wish."

A loud blast from below caught their attention and they turned just as the Vader-like droid exploded into a thousand black fragments twelve floors below.

In the moment of distraction, the thermal detonator was snatched from loose fingers by an invisible hand. Fett cursed himself for such an elementary error and made a grab for it, but too late. It sailed into Vader's outstretched palm.

"Do not let me see you here again," the Dark Lord warned before he marched away with his cape billowing in his wake.

* * *

The two ships were still in the small docking station where they had left them. Mara limped around the _Falcon_, careful to remain out of sight of its viewports knowing that Skywalker's two droids were on board. She gingerly lowered herself into a crouch behind one of its leg struts and pulled a microtracer from a hidden seam in her boot. Activating it, she tucked it into the narrow gap between two duralloy plates. She took a moment to check her handiwork, ensuring it was practically invisible unless one knew it was there.

Grasping the leg strut to heave herself achingly to her feet, she headed for the stock Corellian freighter. Although the ramp of the YT-2400 was visible from the _Falcon_'s cockpit, it was no longer of any consequence whether she was spotted and she walked in plain view as she boarded. After all, even for one as oblivious as Threepio it would be rather difficult not to notice one of the ships flying off.

In no time at all she shot out of the foundry's subterranean entrance and headed for space, taking the fastest, most direct route the freighter could bear. As she reached the stratosphere, however, the sight of the _Executor_ orbiting higher up in the distance brought her up short.

She pursed her lips as she stared at Vader's signature flagship, an unbearable sense of doubt staying her hand from nudging the lever to jump to lightspeed. Eventually she sighed, shaking her head at her own folly, and turned the ship around.

* * *

"We're better off without it, kid!" Han shouted over the thudding of guns. "It was a nightmare on legs just waiting to turn on us."

Once they had recovered from their initial alarm at its arrival, the objective of Vader's droid double to help them had quickly become apparent and they had all warily accepted its assistance. All except Han. There had been no time yet for anyone to explain recent events to him, but, even when they did, Luke suspected the former smuggler would remain utterly distrustful of their new ally.

"It was helping us!" Luke hollered back, dodging a succession of blazing red trails of blaster fire as he sidled closer to a group of droids. By the time the twelfth shot was fired his lightsaber had found its mark and the droids were tumbling to the floor in pieces. All had their arms sliced off – he had learned to be cautious after one droid had continued firing after being decapitated and nearly shot him in the back.

It was relentless. Luke had tallied the highest number of kills by far but his friends also maintained a heavy onslaught against the droids from behind their cover, including Han who refused to be hampered by his immobile legs, and Trann and Mezei showered the droids from their vantage point. They must have downed hundreds of droids by now but they just kept coming and nobody was counting.

Han saw his young friend incapacitate four droids in a clean sweep before risking a narrow miss to close in on a fifth. Simultaneously, the broken parts of a trio he had sliced up only seconds earlier shot through the air seemingly of their own accord to crash into some droids trying to edge their way around the gunship towards Leia. All the while, more droids fell in quick succession under the green lightsaber which also continued to deflect blaster fire with impossible precision. Han had no idea how much time he had lost frozen in carbonite – that much he now remembered – but the change in the kid was nothing short of astounding. Although Luke had been a good fighter before, he was never this dangerous. _Lethal_ was the word that crossed Han's mind.

Luke was aware of his comlink beeping but it was a while before he was able to answer it.

"Oh, master Luke! It's simply terrible, sir. It was completely unexpected and –"

"Go on, Threepio. What happened?" Luke interrupted before his droid could wax lyrical about how awful the news was. Single-handedly he deflected three shots back to the droids who had fired them and carved another one in half when it tried to sneak up from behind.

"Oh dear, it sounds very noisy there, sir. Are you –"

"Threepio, did something happen?" Luke reminded gently with the patience of a saint as he twisted past a droid trying to smash his head in with the butt of its rifle and drove it with a sharp side kick into another droid charging his way.

"Oh, yes sir, the second freighter has gone! Artoo was able to connect briefly with the ship's computer and he insists that it was Miss Kara who initiated the engine sequence. But personally I –"

"It's OK, Threepio," Luke said, relieved that the news hadn't been to say that they had been abducted. He had anticipated that Mara would leave on one of the ships but his one concern had been whether she might attempt to take the _Falcon_ with his droids on board. He had refrained from warning them as he didn't want them confronting the business end of her blaster.

He was about to add something reassuring when a flicker of the Force caught his attention and he instead brought the conversation to a hasty close. "Stay on the _Falcon_ with Artoo, we'll get to you as soon as we can."

He launched himself over the gunship. "Heads up."

His friends started at the sight of him crouched right behind them, lightsaber still aglow in his hand. How he had suddenly appeared there in the blink of an eye was beyond them. Han slapped him heartily on the back and Luke gripped his arm in a gesture of brotherly affection, but their reunion was necessarily brief in the midst of battle.

"We're about to have company again," Luke warned, warily meeting Leia's gaze. "The real deal this time. Don't shoot him." Then he was gone, somersaulting back over the gunship into the foray.

Han barely had time to wonder at his meaning or Leia's grim expression before they were desperately trying to drive back the wall of droids which had gained considerable ground in the momentary hiatus.

Then, over the racket of blaster fire, he heard that hiss. The sound slithered through him like icy tentacles, chilling him to the bone as if he was frozen in carbonite all over again, and Luke's warning promptly fell out of his mind.

"Look out!" He was already firing at the black-armoured monstrosity who had dropped out of the sky into the thick of battle with his blood-red lightsaber flashing. The shots were eaten up by the mass of droids before someone shoved Han's arm aside.

"Hey!" Any further protest died in his throat when he saw who it was.

"Leave him," Leia shouted into his ear over the din. "Just shoot the droids, OK?"

"_Leave _him?" he repeated, dumbfounded. He turned incredulous eyes to emphasise just who they were talking about, only to see Luke leap into the air to deflect some shots fired by Mezei at Vader. Luke landed with his back to the Dark Lord, gave Mezei a firm shake of his head, and then he was fighting side by side with Vader as – together – they carved a trail of destruction through the swarm.

Han's jaw dropped. Had they all completely lost it while he was out of it? He suddenly recalled Luke's hurried warning and only became all the more confounded.

"What the –?"

"Later, Han, please," Leia pressed, her eyes pleading that this was not the time to be difficult. Chewie was also yowling, urging him to drop it, as he continued alternately firing his bowcaster and swinging it at any unfortunate droid that came too close.

With a roll of his eyes, hands thrown heavenward and with an almighty huff, he put his trust in his friends. "Fine! But this is insane. You have a lot of explaining to do."

He was rewarded with a quick peck on the cheek before Leia leaned around him to resume firing at the droids.

* * *

They were a formidable pair. Unhindered by the difference in their physical stature, Anakin and Luke wove around each other in perfect accord like a single, four-armed beast to launch a devastating attack on the droids. Their lightsabers flashed around them in a dazzling display of red and green sparks, parrying blaster fire and incapacitating battle droids with inhuman speed. On Bespin they had repelled each other like two opposite poles of a magnet. Their affinity now, however, could not have been closer as they drew as one on the Force.

It had been a long time since two warriors of such gift had resonated in perfect harmony and the Light Side of the Force responded. It lit ablaze and swelled, becoming ever more brilliant and intense – until it burst, reverberating with their power, sending shockwaves to the farthest reaches of the galaxy evocative of the heyday of the Jedi Order.

For a fleeting moment their eyes met, both taken aback as the exuberance of the Force washed through them.

'_The Emperor will sense it_,' Luke sent to his father as they continued to take down scores of droids crowding the front end of the gunship, their every movement in tune with each other.

'_It can't be helped_,' Anakin replied. '_But it might spur him to do something rash and foolish_.'

Leia was rendered momentarily paralysed as a surge of something she couldn't identify coursed through her spine. It was uplifting, energising, and she was left shuddering on a high. And with it, the world fell quiet and the battle around them suddenly seemed to freeze. No, they were still moving but incredibly slowly, she realised, as she watched Chewie's hair swing in slow motion as he rotated gradually towards a droid that appeared, bit by bit, around the side of the gunship. It was surreal, like a dream, but at the same time she felt intensely alive, as if every moment had stretched into thousands more and every sense had become vibrantly vivid.

Somehow the feeling reminded her of Luke. She glanced towards him, only to be met by his startled blue eyes through a gap in the dozen or so droids frozen between them. She realised when he blinked that he was still moving at the same speed as her, only appearing to have slowed down like the others because he was staring at her in shock. She smiled at him, buzzing with the incredible energy, and only mildly curious at the coincidence that he should look towards her at exactly the same time. The curiosity morphed into concern, however, when she noticed that Vader had also looked her way over the top of the battle droids. Why were they both looking at her? She glanced from one to the other. And why were the three of them the only ones still moving at normal speed?

Before she could think on that any further she felt the faintest pressure on the back of her head as if someone had hit her with a pillow, and she turned, only to find herself staring down the barrel of a rifle. In slow motion she heard the click of the droid's finger depress the trigger, the whirr of the chamber as the plasma bolt was released and routed through the barrel.

Before the energy bolt could emerge, however, a red blade came spinning from behind to slice through both the blaster and droid. They tumbled to the floor, and she followed the returning trajectory of the spinning lightsaber to meet Vader's gaze in a mixture of amazement and horror. He had just saved her life.

She felt that strange pressure again, only this time it was much more intense and from the front.

Before she could react, the blaster fire thudded into her.

"NO –!"

She didn't know who had shouted, Luke presumably, his lone cry ringing out over the strangely silent battlefield. Numbly, she looked down at the neat black hole in her shoulder. A dark red smudge appeared on the edges of the hole, then gradually seeped outwards across her green jumpsuit. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware of her blaster slipping from her right hand. She lifted her head, straining with the heavy weight of it, following the trail of the blaster fire that seemed imprinted on her mind to its source. Trann stood frozen on the ledge above, his white face aghast.

A black haze crowded her vision, blocking her sight until all she could see was a narrow tunnel in the centre. As the tunnel rapidly shrunk to pinpoints she saw Luke's horror-struck face, ever-shrinking as if from a great distance. She reached for him –

Then, there was nothing.


	11. Truth will out

Hi everyone!

So Mara is basically marmite. Right? Either you love her or you hate her. But I don't get why. Can anyone tell me? I'm hoping it isn't just because of how I write, and I don't_ think_ it is with the no-likey camp also telling me how much they're enjoying everything else... Anyway, she's woven into the fabric of this story so I'm afraid she's not going anywhere. But so long as half of you are fine with her and the other half like everything else, then I'm happy! :D

Okay, get comfortable folks and prepare for a long chapter! :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** We all know who SW belongs to!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 11. Truth will out**

The supreme ruler of the galaxy rarely received supplicants anymore. Generous moods, even feigned, were few and far between, and this director of a money-strapped network of orphanages was not wasting the rare opportunity for which he had spent countless hours lingering in the halls of the Imperial Palace.

"Each day the children pledge allegiance to your esteemed Majesty and each day they salute to the Imperial anthem. They are desperate to grow up into useful, skilled citizens who can dedicate their lives in service to the glorious Empire. Increased funds would allow us to provide the necessary schooling and enable these fervently loyal children to realise these dreams. We implore your Majesty, in your great generosity and infinite wisdom, to bestow upon us merely a small token, so that we can raise these orphans as devoted servants of the Empire –"

Whatever remained of the man's obsequious spiel was never heard. The Emperor abruptly tensed, his pale, gnarled hands clutching the armrests of his throne in a death grip as he inhaled sharply through pursed lips. The Light Side of the Force stormed through Imperial Center, the brightness penetrating the mantle of darkness shrouding the Palace and piercing the black hole that was Darth Sidious.

The Sith Master couldn't recall ever having been held captive by fear as he was then. The Force proclaimed a rival to his own immeasurable power, a bastion of the Light Side who was slowly drawing the balance away from his control. He desperately sought the identity of such a formidable challenger. The young Skywalker would eventually wield considerable power when fully trained, certainly more so than the half-human Vader, but he was as yet a long way off from being able to effect the cosmic shockwave that had just ripped through the galaxy. Or was it possible for the young man to have suddenly become so inordinately strong?

Another prospect occurred to him, one far more disconcerting. Back in the waning days of the Old Republic there had been another Skywalker who had, at pressured moments, reached soaring heights of power as was rarely seen amongst the Jedi. Had Anakin Skywalker returned? But if he had, why had Palpatine not sensed the death of Darth Vader? He mentally plucked the bond with his apprentice to confirm it was indeed still there. Or perhaps it was Vader assisting young Skywalker, or even a group of Jedi whom his apprentice had failed to eradicate and were now banding together.

Palpatine impatiently dismissed the supplicant before him, agreeing to his pleas just to be rid of him. He barely registered the man blathering something about eternal gratitude before the Red Guards responded to his signal and rapidly emptied the Throne Room.

"Summon my Chief Engineer," he snapped at an aide hovering nervously in the wings.

Whatever was happening out there, it was time to step up his plans and replace his aging apprentice with younger blood. A measure of anticipation tingled through him, gradually supplanting the fear that had no place in his psyche. The young Skywalker would end the rebellion once and for all, he would succeed where his father had failed. Together they would bring order to his Empire and put the Force to rights.

* * *

Glowing embers sparked from the logs. They floated up with the column of smoke and rolled across the slanted roof of the small mud hut. Wizened eyes followed their fluttering path until the embers escaped through the crude hole at the top.

Yoda grasped his gimer stick, feeling every one of his nine hundred years as he leaned forward to prod the logs.

He froze as a tidal wave of the Force flooded through him. The Light Side, ablaze with life and purpose, sang with resonant power as it cascaded through the galaxy. With his every fibre in tune with the Force, Yoda was able to recognise the herald of its champions – the father and son, who together had raised it from darkness and given life to the Light. His gimer stick fell quietly from loose fingers to the earthen floor.

He saw what was and what could be. He saw plots in motion and many possible futures. The fate of the galaxy, the fate of the Force itself, was poised on this pivotal moment in time, resting on Anakin and Luke Skywalker.

Yoda sat there for a long moment, his pointy ears quivering and his eyes becoming huge with the enormity of this shift in the Force. Eventually he relaxed back on the faded brown bed, closed his eyes and did what he did best. The old Grand Master of the Jedi Order immersed himself in the Force to meditate on the return of Anakin Skywalker.

* * *

Leia swayed, then crumpled to the ground.

There was one moment of staring in mute incomprehension, where no coherent thought could take root through the stupefied shock – then all at once Luke was hurtling to her side, Han was dragging himself by his arms towards her and repeatedly calling her name, Chewbacca was bellowing and decimating the battle droids in a tempestuous rage. Anakin planted himself over Luke like a Gundark in his prime and Lando focused on covering everyone while keeping clear of the deadly lightsaber.

"Leia! Stay with me Leia!" Luke folded back the front flap of her jacket, applying pressure to the warm, sticky, deep red stain. He delved frantically into the Force, shaking with need. But inexplicably it shirked away just out of reach. He tried harder, attempted to impose his will, but the Force only became more elusive, its customary light fading to grey. No! He needed the Force. Without it, Leia might...

Luke was seized by such a despair as he had never felt in his life. Not when his aunt and uncle had been killed, not when Vader had revealed himself to be his father, not when he had doubted his own strength to resist the Dark Side. It clenched his heart and lungs in its iron grip until he couldn't draw breath.

Darkness encroached –

'_Feel her presence, Luke_.'

It was a perfectly tranquil voice, in complete contrast to the mayhem unfurling within. Infused with the Light Side of the Force, Anakin's telepathic words lit through the fog of fear that had momentarily eclipsed him. It was a warning, an injection of rationality and encouragement all combined. Luke blinked. He could still feel Leia's presence, weakened and muffled as it was, but she was still alive. Reason, logical thought, awareness all flooded back.

And with it, a terrible realisation. That darkness – had he almost...?

'_Use the Force, Luke. Help her. Keep her unconscious so her heart rate remains steady, seal the wound to stop the bleeding_.'

Luke looked up at his father. The black mask momentarily turned his way, nodded fractionally. Luke could find no words to describe just how much he appreciated his father's guidance and silent reassurance in that moment.

Closing his eyes, he took a moment to channel his mind into calm and return to a semblance of his usual self before sinking into the Force again. This time it gravitated eagerly towards him, flowing effortlessly as he directed it towards Leia. He cast a soothing cloak of sleep over her mind before turning his attention to the blaster hole. He had only a very basic understanding of healing but the Force intensified around the wound and seemed to work its own magic.

"Leia!" Han dragged himself up beside them, hands anxiously reaching out towards her but hesitating to touch her in case he disrupted whatever Luke was doing with his eyes closed. "Come on, sweetheart," he pleaded, his voice bereft of his usual bravado.

Two figures rounded the gunship at a full sprint and drew to a skidding halt. Lando instinctively aimed at them, just as he had been doing at any droids that came into range, and only just pulled his blaster up in time when he recognised them. But whatever he might have said in rebuke died on his lips as he saw Trann's expression.

"Is she –?" Trann couldn't seem to finish his question. His face was so white he looked almost green.

"She lives, for now," Vader's deep rumble enlightened them over the buzzing of his lightsaber as he protected Luke and, by extension, the whole group as they crowded around Leia. "Why did you shoot her?"

Shocked faces looked from one to the other.

"I was aiming at _you_!" Trann insisted as if that explained everything. But then he realised just what he had admitted, and to whom, and he started babbling fearfully. "But only because you chucked your lightsaber at her! I just assumed, you know? I mean, why would I have thought...? I couldn't see the droid behind her – or at least, I didn't, at first..."

"You _shot_ her?" Han's face turned red. Chewie roared, teeth bared.

"It was nobody's fault," came a quiet voice. Luke had opened his eyes. He tucked his glistening, red-stained hands under Leia's back and knees, lifting her in his arms as he rose to his feet.

"Wait!" Han cautioned. "You shouldn't move her."

"We're leaving," Luke replied, his voice unnaturally calm.

Only then did they hear the increasing whine of the _Falcon_'s engines as it swooped straight down the gaping hole above them until it was hovering right over their heads. The blaster cannon attached beneath the ship was already targeting the B1 battle droids around them as the ramp lowered.

"Master Luke!" came a voice that Han had never thought he'd be happy to hear. "Artoo traced your comlink signal and we came as quickly as we could. Oh no! Princess Leia!" Threepio tottered just inside, his distress evident as he saw Leia's unconscious form in Luke's arms.

Aided by the Force, Luke leaped up easily onto the lowered ramp. Chewie, even with Han under one arm, fared little worse as he hoisted himself up.

"Where's Kara?" Lando asked as he, Trann and Mezei scrambled up ungracefully after them.

"She had to leave," was all Luke said in response. He felt the focus of his father's attention on him but Anakin held his tongue.

To the complete astonishment of his friends, Luke turned to Vader down on the warehouse floor. "Are you coming?"

"_What_?" Han exclaimed. "O-oh no, _hell_ no! Vader is _not_ coming on my ship! I'd rather carbon freeze myself all over again and become Jabba's new interior design feature than –"

Luke barely heard him ranting. '_Please, father. I need you_.'

It was a no brainer. Anakin leaped lightly up after his son and closed the ramp with a touch of the Force.

"Oh, my!" Threepio cried, his eternally stunned expression somehow managing to convey even more astonishment than usual.

"Artoo," Luke called over the intercom, "get us out of here."

* * *

Mara ducked down behind a cluster of rocks as the _Falcon_ roared past and disappeared into the darkening sky. She remained huddled there long after it was safely out of sight, her uninjured left hand trembling as she clutched the binoculars to her chest.

_Vader is my father_.

She knew there could be a perfectly innocent, different explanation for why Vader had fought alongside Skywalker against the battle droids, why Vader had stood over Skywalker and guarded him as the Jedi had tended to the wounded Princess, and even why Vader had, astonishingly, departed with the rebels. She also knew that she had been watching through macrobinoculars lacking in image-enhancement and in the diminishing light of dusk. Both increased the likelihood of her having misinterpreted the protectiveness she had attributed to the Dark Lord's behaviour down on the warehouse floor. But none of that changed the fact that Skywalker's simple statement made perfect sense.

_He's holding you back_..._ Everyone is a tool to him_..._ There are many others_...

Bone-numbing cold seeped through her. Was it possible? Her entire life's purpose, all the years that she had suffered, endured, served – could it all be nothing but a lie? Was she only just one of many agents that the Emperor exploited as he saw fit? Did her master care for her at all? An avalanche of doubt threatened to bury her alive –

"No!"

Skywalker was just playing Jedi mind tricks on her, that's all it was! It had to be! Desperately, fiercely clinging to denial, she forced herself to her feet and limped back to the Corellian freighter docked in the shadow of the rocky incline.

She was Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, loyal to the end. And she knew just what she needed to do to prove her worth. Her master would show that he cared!

* * *

"Admiral."

"Yes, Lord Vader."

"I will be unreachable for several hours. Continue orbiting Geonosis and await my orders."

"As you wish, my lord."

A nightmare come to life, that's what it was. Only worse. It was all Nine Hells rolled into one – specifically, into one Sithspawn-shaped packaged, travel-sized for Han's convenience. Or _in_convenience, as was decidedly the case here. It didn't even matter how Artoo had modified the _Falcon_ to be able to fly it solo. Vader absolutely, categorically, could _not_ be on his ship.

Han snapped from behind them as the Dark Lord switched off his comlink and followed Luke around the main corridor. "You're getting off, Vader. Right here, right now."

"Make me."

Han only became more livid, not put off by the fact that he couldn't possibly intimidate the Dark Lord, especially with Chewie carrying him. "Oh yeah? Well you just watch, I'll expel you from the _Falcon_ right into space and you'll explode into a million, tiny little pieces perfect for mashing into Bantha fodder –"

"Both of you, please!" Luke interjected wearily. He slowed briefly by the hologram board in the rec area. "Can you wait here?" he asked Vader, and Han's brows rose in shock as the Dark Lord lowered himself obediently onto the curved seat without fuss.

Luke hurried on to the crew quarters with Leia cocooned protectively in his arms and Chewie immediately made to follow.

"Wait!" Han protested, his gaze drawn to Vader sitting there unsupervised, his large frame making the lounge seat look as if it had been designed for children.

Chewie merely howled – _he's fine there_.

Han gaped. When was Vader ever _fine_ sitting on his ship? And what could possibly have possessed the kid to invite him on board in the first place anyway?

"I am not here to cause you harm," Vader reassured, although it was hardly reassuring coming from the Dark Lord. "If I wished you dead, I would not have prevented Boba Fett from using the thermal detonator."

"Yeah, of course you did," Han said, not bothering to hide his cynicism. "Why are you here?"

"Luke asked me to come."

Things were going from bad to downright bizarre. Since when was Luke just 'Luke' to Darth Vader? But before he could dig any further Chewie was impatiently heading for the crew quarters, leaving him no choice but to suspend his questions for later. Blast his legs!

The door slid open with a quiet release of air. Luke was sitting on a bunk with Leia propped up awkwardly between his knees, her shoulder exposed where he had cut away her jumpsuit. The contents of an emergency medical kit were scattered around him, evidently discarded in his hasty search for the dressings he was now sealing around both the front and back of her shoulder with infinite tenderness. Leia's head was resting back on Luke's shoulder, her beautiful, ashen face closed off to the world and her mind far beyond their reach.

Han's gut clenched. He still didn't know for how long he had been frozen in carbonite and effectively out of the picture, but it was obvious that these two had grown very close. He'd seen how she had instinctively reached out to Luke when she had been shot, how Luke had practically flown to her side. The intimacy between them was as plain as day, and any special moments that Han had shared with her in the past was purely that – in the past. Even as Han felt a painful sense of loss that he had never experienced before at the thought of letting Leia go, he knew he wouldn't get in their way. It wasn't like him to put somebody else before his own personal feelings and he couldn't explain it, other than that it was Leia, and it was Luke. They were his friends and for him that was reason enough.

"How is she?" Han asked softly as Chewie carried him in.

Luke extracted himself from his awkward position around her and gently lay her down on the bunk. His reply was equally quiet. "I managed to stem the bleeding and she's stable for now, but we need to get her to the medical frigate. Can you watch her for a while?"

"Sure. Or if you wanted to stay with her, I can get us where we need to go," Han offered, thinking that the kid would probably prefer to stay with Leia.

Luke gave him an odd look. "No, I'd better go, I have the Fleet coordinates." He paused as Chewie set Han down close by Leia's head on a second bunk. "How are you holding up?"

Han shrugged, glancing at their unconcious friend. "A lot better than Leia, that's for sure."

"We'll get you checked out too," Luke promised as he headed for the door, though Han couldn't help wondering whether they'd really get there with Vader in their midst.

"You alright, Chewie?" Luke asked. Chewie howled, nodding.

"Hey, kid," Han called.

Luke turned in the doorway.

"Thanks. Thanks for coming after me. I owe _you_ one."

Luke gave him a faint smile. "We wouldn't have left you, Han. But you know something? Without Vader it sure would have taken a lot longer."

Vader again! Han started spluttering his protest but the door had already slid shut. His eyebrows drew together in a frustrated scowl. "Alright, Chewie. Just what in the blazes has been going on around here?"

* * *

As Luke returned to the rec area he was met by the rest of the gang entering from the main corridor. Although they had seen Vader board with them in the warehouse, the sight of the armoured giant sitting at the table where they had spent many hours playing Dejarik still drew them up short.

"Artoo, how long to the Fleet?" Luke asked.

"Well, Master Luke," Threepio began, "that's what we came to tell you. Artoo is struggling to obtain a signal from _Home One_. He says –"

Artoo's affronted beeping interrupted him.

"It's a figure of speech, you stupid lug. There's no difference between saying that you are _struggling_ to obtain a signal and there simply _being_ no returning signal –"

"What's the problem exactly?" Luke interrupted, knowing how the two could carry on.

Threepio translated the answering whistles. "He says that there is no responding signal from _Home One_, it appears the ship is not at the prearranged coordinates."

"It's not there? Lando, did you give Artoo the correct –"

"They relocated." The quiet interruption swung everyone's attention to Trann who hovered behind them, shifting from foot to foot.

"What do you mean?" Luke prompted. Trann's shifty eyes refused to look at anyone.

Lando grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and hauled him forward. "Start talking," he snapped.

"The Fleet has moved. _Home One_ will com the _Falcon_ with the new coordinates in –" Trann glanced at his chronowatch, "– three hours. The new rendez-vous point will be another hour or two away."

"Oh dear!" Threepio exclaimed unhelpfully.

Lando tightened his grip and leaned into Trann's face. "So it wasn't enough just to shoot Leia? The Fleet was supposed to be on standby so we could bring Han out of carbonite!" He was stopped by a firm hand on the shoulder and he reluctantly let go as Luke stepped in between them.

Unlike Lando, Luke's demeanour was calm and unfazed, and it encouraged Trann to be honest. Luke quietly studied the Corellian's face a moment before voicing his suspicions. "Was it General Madine?"

Trann gulped. How had the Commander guessed? It must have been another of those Jedi abilities. Lando looked rather startled at this allegation.

"Did the General have the Fleet relocated in case Vader forced us to reveal its location?" Luke continued.

Despite Madine's warning not to reveal his orders, Trann only hesitated a moment. Fat lot of good the General's advice had done them so far – Trann had ended up shooting the Princess when he had mistaken Vader saving her life as something sinister and now they were stranded without medics. Commander Skywalker had been right about Vader all along – even if the prospect of being allied with the Sith Lord still gave him the creeps – and he decided to come clean.

"Yes, sir," he confirmed.

"And the General also ordered you to keep an eye on Vader, in case he turned on us?"

Trann threw a nervous look at the Dark Lord who still cut a frightening figure even when seated. "Yes, sir."

"And you have no idea where the Fleet currently is?"

"No, sir."

Luke nodded and addressed the group as a whole. "We need to find a medical facility."

The others were instantly arguing over where might be the nearest and safest, and whether to risk going to a rebel facility with Vader in tow or to attempt sneaking into an Imperial clinic in disguise. Four earnest opinions made for a rowdy debate – Trann was anxious to make up for his role in the predicament they found themselves in, Meizei had also known of the General's orders and felt partially responsible, Lando just wanted to save Leia, and Threepio believed he knew best. Artoo's splat indicated he was not impressed.

'_The great decision-making process of the Rebel Alliance,_' Anakin observed, amused in spite of himself.

'_Leia would've quickly had them in hand_,' Luke replied quietly.

Anakin took one look at his son's grim face and slipped out into the corridor. Senses clouded by the Force, nobody but Luke noticed his departure. Everyone did notice, however, when they were almost thrown off their feet as the ship launched into lightspeed. Lando rushed out towards the cockpit, only to hastily reverse back in a moment later as Vader returned.

"Where are we going?" Luke asked mildly. He seemed to be alone in his lack of concern that Vader had just plotted them on an unknown course.

"A private facility with excellent medical care, not known to either the Alliance or the Empire. With the _Falcon_'s hyperdrive it will take less than two hours."

Luke nodded, sending his father a silent message of thanks, but not everyone was appeased. It was Lando who plucked up the courage to voice his doubts within Vader's hearing. "Is this wise, Luke?"

Luke's reply was simple. "We rescued Han, didn't we?" And that seemed to settle it.

* * *

'_I'm sorry, father. I shouldn't have asked you to come_.'

They were alone in the rec room, the others having gone to visit Leia, or 'rest' – just another way of saying they wanted to avoid Vader – but Luke still communicated telepathically so they couldn't be overheard. Sitting shoulder to shoulder on the lounge seat, their proximity and ever strengthening bond made it the easiest thing in the world to link their thoughts.

Anakin seemed to ponder his comment. '_Do you regret my being here?_' he asked eventually, masking his hurt.

'_Oh no, I didn't mean it like that_,' Luke reassured as he realised how it must have sounded. '_I'm selfishly very glad you're here. But I've put you in a difficult position. My friends still don't trust you and your men on Geonosis must be wondering what's happened to you_.'

'_Don't worry about that_,' Anakin dismissed in relief. '_Piett can handle it. And I don't blame your friends for not wanting me here._'

'_Still_...' Luke trailed off and Anakin didn't push the issue. Neither of them had dared to entertain much hope of being together again so soon after Naboo, and they weren't keen to spend the time dredging up the ugly history of Darth Vader.

'_Can I ask what happened on Geonosis with my mother?_' Luke asked tentatively.

There had been so much to explain in Theed that Anakin had barely even had time to give the short version. Although it was one of the tenderest memories, he was glad that he could give Luke another glimpse of the incredible woman who had been his mother. He threw his son a smile to reassure that it was OK, and Luke sensed the emotion behind the gesture even if he couldn't see it.

Anakin cast his mind back. '_There was no 'us' before Geonosis; it was the place where everything changed_.

'_Until then, your mother had insisted that there could be no future between us. It was a time when the Separatists were gaining strength, with the fighting escalating and spreading, and her role as an influential Senator was crucial in campaigning for diplomacy. As for me, the Jedi were forbidden to form attachments and I would have been expelled from the Order. There was no place for love in our lives_.

'_Just after my mother died_,' Anakin continued, setting the context with the barest of words having already explained that dark event during their conversations on Naboo, '_when we were still on Tatooine, we received a report from Obi-Wan that the Separatists were allying themselves with powerful banks and trade corporations. It was in the foundries of Geonosis where Count Dooku was amassing a droid army great enough to challenge the Republic and the Jedi. _

'_Obi-Wan was captured, but if it wasn't for your mother we might not have been able to go and rescue him. His message had also revealed that it was the Trade Federation who was behind the assassination attempts on Padmé, and Master Windu had ordered me to protect her at all costs while the Jedi went to deal with Count Dooku. Even though I wanted to go after Obi-Wan and Geonosis was less than a parsec from Tatooine, with what had just happened with the Sand People, I couldn't disobey. But your mother simply claimed that she was going to rescue Obi-Wan and if I wanted to protect her I'd just have to go along_.'

Luke couldn't help smiling at the image of the head-strong, clever woman his father depicted.

'_When we arrived on Geonosis we were caught up in the foundries' production lines, as you were, and we were eventually captured. We were sent to the execution arena to be put to death with Obi-Wan_.'

His tone softened. '_As we were being led into the arena, as our lives were about to be destroyed, she suddenly told me that she loved me, that she couldn't control it anymore. She wanted me to know before we died_. _She truly, deeply loved me.._.'

He swallowed past a large lump in his throat. '_I had loved her since I was a slave boy on Tatooine, when I thought she was an angel from the Moons of Iego, and my feelings had only grown with time. I pledged to spend the rest of my life with her, then and there_.

'_We managed to defeat the beasts in the arena, and escaped the Separatist forces with the aid of over two hundred Jedi_' – Luke's eyes widened at the thought of so many – '_and Master Yoda turning up with the_ _first clone troopers the galaxy had seen. The Battle of Geonosis, it came to be called, and it was the start of the Clone Wars. It also involved my first encounter with Count Dooku and my first prosthetic._' He found himself flexing his right hand, and he consciously relaxed it as he turned his mind to what had followed on Naboo.

'_After we left Geonosis, I escorted your mother home to Naboo. We were married in a secret ceremony at Varykino_.' Even now he could see it in his mind's eye, the beautiful arbor overlooking the sparkling lake where he and Padmé had stood before the Pontifix of the Brotherhood of Cognizance. The memory was saturated with warmth and tranquility, much as they had been on that day when they were bathed in the glow of the setting sun, and he opened himself to the mental link to share the treasured feeling with their son.

Luke only now understood just what his father had done for him in helping to rescue Han, the depth of emotion he had been forced to deal with in returning to the place that held so much meaning. Luke was deeply touched and humbled.

And, unexpectedly, it hurt. To think that nobody else could know this Anakin Skywalker, the man he now was as Luke knew him. Instead all they would see was a Sith Lord with a past too terrible to allow for any reconciliation.

'_It must have been difficult going back there_,' Luke said with feeling.

'_Actually, once I was in the foundry it wasn't too bad. In fact, it was... kind of nice, being there with you, in the place that held so much meaning_.'

Luke took a moment to appreciate this sentiment. A smile tugged on his lips. '_I'd never pegged you as the kind of man who says 'kind of nice'_.'

Anakin shared his mirth, but it soon faded away on a bittersweet note. There were a lot of things he should have been and a whole lot that he shouldn't. He didn't dampen the moment by mentioning it but Luke still picked up on the thought and he, in turn, became troubled.

It had been gnawing at him, scratching for attention on the edges of his mind ever since they had left Geonosis. He closed his eyes but the resulting blackness behind his lids only served to intensify the memory – his desperate attempts to reach the life-giving Force, the swirling dark that had answered in its place. There was an extraordinary potency even in the merest glimpse, only awaiting his acceptance, beckoning him, seductive and tempting... He snapped open his eyes, flooding his vision with light.

'_Was that the Dark Side?_'

Anakin didn't soften the blow, his son needed the truth. '_Yes_.'

Luke winced.

Fortunately Anakin could also reassure. '_But you didn't use it. It merely called, as it calls on all Jedi at one point or another. And if you are ever tempted again, you know exactly how it feels. You will be prepared and turn away_.'

'_What if I'm not strong enough?_' The question was out before Luke could curb it and he was glad. A secret fear that was his constant companion, he knew it would only serve him ill.

'_You resisted on Bespin, Luke. And you resisted on Geonosis. You are strong enough_.'

His father's confidence was touching but he didn't share it. Rejecting the Dark Side when he was still balking at being the offspring of Darth Vader was easy. On Geonosis Anakin had brought awareness back to him with just a few words and a touch of the Force. Luke looked up with stricken eyes. '_If you hadn't been there_ –'

'_But I was_,' Anakin interrupted before Luke could take that thought any further. '_Your first encounter with the Dark Side and it was the will of the Force that you didn't experience it alone. You are not destined for darkness, my son. Believe in yourself as your friends believe in you, as you believe in them. You fight for what is good and right, that is your calling and your strength_.'

What a far cry from his rhetoric on Bespin! Anakin's inspiring words brought to mind similar advice from Yoda. Self-sacrifice came much more naturally to Luke and he could easily be strong for the sake of others. Being strong for himself was an area he clearly needed to work on.

'_You should have gone into politics_,' Luke replied eventually, making Anakin grimace.

'_That was always your mother's forte. I only ever knew of one type of politics – aggressive negotiations_.'

Luke laughed. '_I can imagine you were quite adept_.'

'_Obi-Wan and I both_,' Anakin replied with good humour.

Their thoughts took them each in their own directions. Politics for Luke meant Leia and he stretched his senses towards the crew quarters where she rested. He could tell from the aggravated emotions emanating from Han that Chewie was filling him in on the last few months, but Luke considered it only long enough to make a mental note to smooth Han's ruffled feathers later before turning his focus on Leia.

Her presence was muted by unconsciousness but she was still stable. He immediately noticed the sparkling shimmer that had not been present before those shocking few seconds when she had looked at him as he had never expected to see her. Although it was nothing close to her blinding aura during the full-blown, Force-enhanced moment, her presence still retained the after-effects. She was clearly Force sensitive, and of some considerable measure judging by what he had seen. There had been moments in the past when he had speculated it in jest but it had never been a serious consideration. He wondered how he had not sensed it before.

'_Is it possible to mask one's Force sensitivity?_'

Anakin stirred, having been lost in memories. He knew without prompting who his son referred to and he turned his attention towards the princess. There was something about her presence, as if it should have been familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

'_One's connection to the Force can be blocked, although it takes a master of considerable power and skill. How long the effect lasts depends on any number of things. Whether the procedure is repeated over time, how sensitive the individual is, any traumas or extreme emotions, the presence of other Force sensitives nearby – they all play a part. And yes_,' Anakin added, anticipating Luke's next question, '_it looks as if somebody has blocked her at some point, quite possibly when she was very young. She may have experienced moments when the Force aided her but it would not have been substantial, until now. The surge in the Force seems likely to have been the main trigger for her now breaking free_.'

'_Would Palpatine sense her?_'

'_At her current intensity, not from this distance. But as a precaution it would pay for her to learn to shield herself as soon as she is able_.'

Luke nodded.

There was also another matter that was concerning Anakin. He didn't want to alarm his son but he was all too aware of its import. '_This changes things_,' he began.

Luke looked at him in question.

'_She knows much anger and fear. Mostly towards me, and with good reason, but in view of her Force sensitivity_...'

There was no need to say any more. Luke knew Leia well. She had an admirable sense of honour and justice, but she was also quick to anger and she did not look kindly upon those who did wrong. With Vader she harboured great personal animosity which she had temporarily set aside in order to save Han and for the good of the galaxy, but Luke knew that the ill feelings still simmered deep inside. Now... the consequences did not bear thinking about.

'_I'll speak to her as soon as... well, as soon as possible_.'

Anakin felt for him. On one count, at least, he could reassure him. '_We're almost there, Luke. It's an excellent medical facility, she will recover_.'

Luke managed only a tight smile.

A small movement caught their eye and they both turned their heads toward the main corridor. It was the usually fearless droid, who was half hiding behind the wall in an uncharacteristic display of timidity.

"Artoo," Luke called. "Come on in, he won't bite."

Artoo contemplated this for what was a considerable hesitation for a droid, before eventually deciding to extend his third leg and roll across the floor. He came to a rest beside Luke on the other side from Anakin and silently regarded the armoured figure through his visual receptor.

"It's good to see you again, Artoo," Anakin said, wishing he could do away with the deep rumble of the vocaliser.

"You know each other?" Luke asked in surprise.

The large helmet nodded. "He was a gift to me from your mother, when I became a Jedi Knight. We had many adventures together, didn't we, Artoo?"

The droid responded with a melancholy bleep.

Even in his surprise Luke had the presence of mind to sweep the area with the Force to make sure they weren't being overheard. "I had no idea! And to think that I came across him and Threepio on Tatooine, out of all the countless droids and all the possible places in the galaxy. It must have been the work of the Force."

"Threepio would be delighted to give you the odds, I'm sure," Anakin mused.

Luke laughed. "Don't tell me, you know him too?"

"I built him."

Luke's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"He's had a makeover since and clearly a memory wipe, but it's certainly the same droid. I thought he might be of some help to my mother."

"But you were only nine when you left Tatooine."

Anakin grinned behind his mask. "What can I say? I'm a genius."

Luke was on the verge of asking who had cleared Threepio's memory banks and why Artoo's memory appeared untouched, but a light started blinking on a control panel of the technical station on the other side of the room. He pulled himself to his feet. "It looks like we're coming up on wherever we're going."

"We'll need to fly through an asteroid field, I can pilot if Solo would allow me?"

Luke grimaced. "I very much doubt it but I'll ask." He disappeared in the direction of the crew quarters.

Left alone, Anakin and Artoo stared at each other. It was Anakin who eventually broke the silence. "I know, I messed up."

Artoo splat a series of low, sharp beeps.

"Yes. Badly," Anakin agreed wholeheartedly. He sighed. "I missed you, old friend."

Artoo studied him for a moment before giving an inquisitive bleep.

Anakin wasn't surprised at the question, the droid had always been perceptive. He nodded. "Yes, I'm me again."

It computed with all that had been occurring in the last few months – this was Anakin Skywalker. With a whistle that somehow managed to express joy, reproach and sentimentality all at once, Artoo closed the distance between them and bumped gently into Anakin's leg.

Whoever said droids didn't have feelings? Anakin wondered as he placed a hand gently on his domed head.

* * *

Han was glaring with poorly concealed aversion at Vader seated beside him as Luke and Chewie flew the _Falcon_ through the dense asteroid field. Although he was starting to regain movement in one leg, terrible pins and needles intermittently wracked his left arm making it unsafe to fly his ship. He had been obstinately adamant that Vader would _never_,_ ever_ fly the _Falcon_. Regardless of what Chewie had told him, with surprising enthusiasm, about all Vader had supposedly done for the rebellion since Bespin including enabling his own rescue, he wasn't ever going to forget who had put him in carbonite in the first place. Han only tolerated Vader's presence in the cockpit out of the pressing need to get Leia medical help and the fact that Luke seemed so sure that that was really where Vader was taking them.

They followed Vader's directions and flew deeper into the asteroid field.

"Is that it? Polis Massa?" Luke asked, reading the scopes. The misshapen rock grew in the viewport as they approached.

"What a piece of junk!" Han complained.

Chewie growled something, making Han frown. "Yeah, well, she _does_ have it where it counts," he mumbled, and Luke was reminded of his identical reaction when he'd seen the _Millennium_ _Falcon_ for the first time in Mos Eisley. A simple farm boy he had been then, with the death of his aunt and uncle still a fresh wound, off to rescue a beautiful princess with an old, mysterious hermit on some harebrained adventure – what a lifetime ago that was!

They closed in on the surface. As they flew over an extensive archaeological site, landing beacons started blinking in front of them.

"Follow the lights in," Vader instructed. Luke guided the _Falcon_ into the small hangar and docked it a safe distance away from two Kallidahins who had appeared to greet them.

"Ready the Princess but wait onboard until I call," his father said before hurrying out of the cockpit.

Anakin was just finishing speaking to the two natives in low tones when he gave a mental signal and Luke led his friends from the _Falcon_. Chewie carried Leia and Han hobbled along with the use of makeshift crutches that Chewie had assembled out of some old poles he'd found in the cargo hold. Artoo brought up the rear, while Lando, Trann, Mezei and Threepio remained on board.

The taller Kallidahin disappeared off somewhere as the shorter one waited to greet them. Luke could discern no features on his face other than his red eyes but there was a pervading sense of serenity about him.

"Welcome Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Artoo-Detoo. And this must be Princess Leia Organa," he said, indicating her unconscious form with his long, four fingers. His soothing voice washed over them, even managing to assuage some of Han's misgivings about coming here.

"I am Maneeli Tuun. Lord Vader informs us that the Princess requires urgent medical care. My colleague, Osh Scal, has gone ahead to prepare. This way please."

Tuun led them to the same hidden facility where Anakin had been treated. He glanced at his son, his decision not to reveal his transformation weighing heavily on his mind. Although the concealment was motivated by his desire to protect the boy, the thought of keeping secrets from Luke still made him uncomfortable.

There was an appreciative whistle. Han was staring wide-eyed through the translucent walls at the well-equipped medical facility, cheered for the first time since Leia had been shot. Luke had told him of Vader's assurances when he had taken the ship into lightspeed, and true to his word, there was nothing about the place, within or without, that suggested any ties with the Empire.

Osh Scal appeared with a repulsor stretcher. Chewie laid her down gently and gave a sad moan as she was born away.

Tuun turned to Han. "You also appear to be in need of medical treatment. May we be of assistance?"

"You... well... I..." Han started, clearly torn.

Luke understood. "Go on, Han. I'll wait for Leia." Han still seemed uncertain but Luke gave an encouraging smile and nudged him towards the Kallidahin.

Han hesitated another moment before allowing himself to be persuaded. "Well, OK, if you insist. But you'll come and get me if anything changes, won't you?"

Luke nodded before turning to Chewie, "You should probably go with him in case he insults our kind hosts."

Chewbacca wailed his agreement over Han's protests of perfect manners and loped off, herding Han ahead of him.

* * *

"The initial plan had been to go through with the Treaty and implement the terms. I gave the pretext of needing time to gather comprehensive intelligence on all elements of the Alliance so that we could be more thorough in its destruction. But I doubt he was ever intending to wait too long – knowing Palpatine, he would prefer to deal the original blow earlier and then just send me to root out the stragglers. Now, with the Force as it is, he'll be in even more hurry. He may even bring his schemes forward to the signing of the Treaty."

Luke stilled as it dawned on him just how imminent their confrontation with Palpatine could be. "That's only in four days. Do you know what he's plotting?"

Anakin had sliced into the Imperial Security and Imperial Intelligence networks prior to arriving at Geonosis but he had very little to go on other than what Luke already knew. And with his son being so tight-lipped about the certain individual's abrupt departure, he decided to drop some hints. "Unfortunately not. To me, Palpatine only ever pretended to be in full agreement. All I know is that it may possibly involve Mara Jade."

"Then we need to act first," Luke said simply, not rising to the bait. Four days gave very little time to prepare, but he knew the Alliance would be ready. They were seasoned veterans in the art of spontaneous ingenuity when it came to dealing with the Empire.

Anakin nodded gravely. "We should go to Coruscant as soon as we're assured of the Princess's recovery. Will you need clearance from the Alliance leaders?"

Luke's expression clouded. "With General Madine behaving as he is, they might not give it. I'll speak to Leia, that might have to do."

They turned towards the door as it hissed open and Maneeli Tuun entered. The Kallidahin stopped two steps into the room as the door closed, and he regarded Luke and Anakin before his eyes came to rest on the astromech droid.

"May I speak?" he inquired, his voice portraying the uncertainty that his impassive eyes did not reveal. Luke was confused as to who was being addressed until his father took up the conversation.

"Yes, Artoo is fine," Anakin replied. "I am grateful for your discretion."

"You are welcome, Anakin Skywalker."

Luke started in alarm.

"It's alright, son," Anakin reassured. "Maneeli Tuun and Osh Scal know who I am, who you are. I asked them not to tell the others."

The hushed conversation earlier made sense now. Relieved on that front, Luke asked, "How is Leia?"

"The operation is progressing well. We are reconstructing her shoulder joint and she will soon be healed. However, she is in need of a blood transfusion."

Luke paled. "None of us are compatible." With injuries being so commonplace in their line of work, all rebel fighters knew not only their own blood types but also that of many of their friends and colleagues.

Tuun cocked his head in a surprisingly human indication of puzzlement. "I know that you are not. However, your father is."

In Luke's concern to help Leia, it didn't even register that this Kallidahin already knew his blood type. His surprise at the good news quickly turned into a pleading expression as he turned to Anakin, but his father was already holding his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Of course, there's no need to ask."

Minutes later Anakin was reclining in a chair, a large needle inserted in the vein on the inside of his elbow through a small slit cut into his multi-ply sleeve and taped to his arm. Despite Tuun monitoring closely, Luke watched the red liquid feeding through the tube into a large flexible bag with growing concern.

"Are you sure you can give so much?" he pressed.

"I'm sure. I'm healthier than I look, this will barely affect me. I'd be more worried about her reaction when she hears that she received my blood."

This seemed to trouble Luke for a moment before he shook his head. "There's no alternative. Besides, it's very fortunate that you happen to be compatible. What are the chances?" he mused.

"Actually," Tuun supplied calmly from beside them, "it is not so incredible. Humans inherit the antigens in their blood genetically so the possibility for compatibility is fairly high."

Silence answered him. Luke's bewildered eyes darted to his father. Was Tuun was saying what he thought he was? Anakin was too stunned to do anything except stare blankly at Tuun.

"Excuse me?" Luke croaked at length.

Tuun eventually seemed to notice their dumbfounded reaction and turned from one to the other. "Ah, I must apologise," he said in his ever-soothing tones. "As you arrived together and were aware of your relationship to each other, I believed you knew."

They stared at him on tenterhooks, the tension mounting with each passing second, but the Kallidahin gave no further clarification. Luke shook his head in pure bafflement. "Knew what?" he urged.

Tuun considered them for another long moment before he finally yielded. His serene reply shook them to their very core. "Princess Leia Organa is your twin sister. Anakin Skywalker is the biological father of you both."


	12. Sithspawn

Hi again everyone!

I hope you were all good girls and boys this year and Santa brought you lots of nice prezzies!

It's hard finding solid chunks of time for writing, but here at long last is chapter 12! I wonder if you remember what happened before? Anyway, it's a nice long section, I hope you enjoy it! :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** SW clearly not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 12. Sithspawn**

The Force hummed, caressing them with a soft, contented sigh as the truth was finally revealed. Blue eyes met blue through the black visor, and they were united in elation.

_Sister! Leia was his sister! — A daughter! Not one child, but two!_

And what a sister! What a daughter! A small but explosive concentration of courage and tenacity, a fearless leader of the Alliance, one of the thorniest of thorns fighting the Empire –

The Empire –

Vader –!

Reality and horror came crashing down. Leia was his daughter. His own flesh and blood. He had tortured –

Anakin couldn't speak, couldn't move.

"Master Kenobi brought Padmé to us in a critical condition and already in labour," Tuun explained in his ever serene voice. "She gave birth at our Base not far from here. We were charged with secrecy for the safety of the children, and after the death of their mother we resolved to protect the truth as best as we could, until such a time as Anakin Skywalker visited us already knowing of their existence."

"How did my mother – _our_ mother – die?" Luke managed to ask.

"She died soon after giving birth. At the time she bore no external signs of injuries and we could find nothing medically wrong, so we believed that she had simply lost the will to live. It was only long afterwards that the internal damage was discovered, the compression of the trachea and fractured hyoid bone. It is our eternal regret that we were unable to identify and treat her injuries in time."

A whisper slithered through time and space – _It seems, in your anger, you killed her_.

Acute self-recrimination and despair ran him through like a thousand blades dipped in acid. He _had_ killed her! Anakin couldn't breathe. The mask – he needed to remove the mask – but Luke! Thoughts jumbled in his head as he fought for breath.

Luke sensed his father's pain and reached for the large needle. "Maneeli, please stop this."

"No!" Anakin's own hand, trembling as it was, stopped Luke in his tracks. "She needs the blood. Leia needs – Leia... Oh Force, what have I done?"

He grasped his son's hand, his entire body shaking. Saying her name for the first time knowing that it was his _daughter_'s name only served to hammer home his understanding that much deeper.

Leia on the Death Star – Luke on Bespin – Padmé on Mustafar –

He would have collapsed but he was Anakin Skywalker now, not Darth Vader, and his concern for his children – _children!_ – overrode all personal consideration, as only it can in a parent whose child means everything. Even if it killed him he would not remove his mask before his son, and he would remain in this chair with the needle in his arm until his daughter had all the blood she needed.

"Father..." Luke could find nothing to say to ease the tumultuous pain he could feel roiling through his father's fragile shielding.

The Force churned around them, agitated by the strength of Anakin's feeling. Surprisingly, however, even though the Light jumbled equally with the Dark Side, the balance remained even and controlled. The soul-crushing realisation of the true extent of his crimes against his family might have once overcome Anakin and sent him cowering back into the intoxicating embrace of darkness, but not now. He had not only one, but _two_ children to protect, and his determination to right his wrongs and rid the galaxy of the evil that was Sith was only the stronger for being wiser.

After what felt like an eternity Tuun finally removed the needle from his arm and applied a bacta patch through the thin slit in the multi-ply sleeve.

"Is that really enough?" Anakin asked, his vocaliser transmitting in the usual deep tone despite the hoarseness of his real voice inside the mask.

"Yes, it is enough," Tuun assured as he picked up the large flexible bag that was now full and headed out of the room. "You will be light-headed if you stand, I recommend that you remain seated. I will return with a replenishing drink for you." The door closed behind him.

"Father –" Luke began but he was interrupted before he could say another word.

"I – I must go." Anakin didn't know how he managed to speak, he felt as if he was being strangled and could barely get the words out. "I need to be alone." He pushed himself off the chair, stumbling on weak legs under a wave of dizziness.

"Father –" Luke reached out, both to help and to stop him, but Anakin shook himself free.

"Please son, I –" Words died. Anakin staggered out of the room.

With no respirator hissing or ship engines whirring in the background, the abrupt silence hummed in Luke's ears. He sought calm against the tight feeling in his chest, stifling the urge to slump into the chair his father had vacated.

Out of the uncomfortable stillness came a forlorn bleep.

Of course! Something clicked in his mind. "You knew all along," he murmured. There was no accusation, he was simply stating fact.

Artoo's electronic whine was pure dejection.

It was another piece of the puzzle sliding home. Artoo had been with his father long before he had become Darth Vader. How had Luke not realised earlier? Artoo waddled hesitantly towards him, clearly unsure of Luke's reaction.

Luke shook his head and reassured softly, "I wouldn't have said anything either, if I'd been you." He gave a profound sigh, the air escaping him under the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. "What a mess, huh?"

He never heard a more sympathetic beep from his little friend as he did then.

* * *

The Mandalorian helmet tilted. Only fractionally, but it was a bow nonetheless. There were only two men in the galaxy who could pose enough risk to his person that Boba Fett would give this small concession. One was Vader, who had effectively ordered him from Geonosis on pain of death – a discourtesy for which he might have taken real offense had it not been cushioned by the substantial compensation. As for the other...

"Ah, Boba Fett," the sickly voice hummed. "The notorious bounty hunter. How good of you to make contact so quickly."

Safely concealed within his mask, Fett glared at the flickering holographic image. The summons had all but threatened to have him hunted down by the entire contingent of agents at the Emperor's disposal had he failed to comply. He wasn't fool enough to comment.

"You are in need of my services, your majesty?" he replied instead. He made sure to be clear just who was the one asking for help here.

Palpatine's eyes glinted. "Ye-es," he drawled, his voice crawling over him like poisonous honey. "Yes. I have a lucrative job for you, Boba Fett, should you be interested."

The aging Emperor bided his time, heedless of the bounty hunter as he shifted his old bones into a more comfortable position on his Throne. But if the years of experience in his trade had taught Boba Fett anything, it was patience. He waited with nothing more than mild bemusement at this not-so-subtle assertion of superiority until Palpatine decided to continue.

"My only concern is whether it would prickle your loyalty to Lord Vader. I realise there is an... _understanding_ between you."

Fett's ire was roused, even as he realised that that was the very intention of Palpatine's deliberate provocation. Palpatine would have known that he answered to nobody but himself. What Fett couldn't tell was where the Emperor was going with this. "There is no understanding," he refuted bluntly.

"Very well, if you insist," Palpatine noted easily. "You'll be aware of a forthcoming event, the signing ceremony of the Treaty." He shifted again, making a show of approaching a delicate matter. "Now, I don't want you to mistake my meaning, this is by no means a reflection on my satisfaction of Lord Vader's service," – which meant that was exactly what it was – "but I want you to delay him, just for a while, so that he is unable to attend the ceremony."

Fett tilted his head in silent question, wondering at what wasn't being said. Palpatine was moving against Vader?

"I would simply order him away but he'll take it personally, he is _so_ devoted," – did Fett imagine the sarcasm practically dripping from the Emperor's every word? – "but he is too preoccupied of late, he'll only be a hindrance if he is there. Mind you, it is understandable, what with his son running amok with the rebellion..." Palpatine trailed off momentarily as if lost in thought, leaving Fett struggling to grasp the idea of Vader having a son, before the old man gave the exasperated but affectionate sigh of a doting parent and flapped his hand in the air. "It is of no concern. The young Jedi will soon be dealt with."

Skywalker? It had to be, there were no others. _Skywalker_ was Vader's _son_?

Through his dazed fog Fett realised that Palpatine was already speaking again, but he only vaguely registered something about diversions, coordinates and instructions before their conversation seemed to be over.

"Do we understand each other, bounty hunter?"

At a loss for words, Fett simply nodded his acknowledgement. As the blue hologram faded he stared numbly into thin air. Vader was Luke Skywalker's father. Which meant only one thing.

Vader was Anakin Skywalker.

* * *

Han's steps faltered at the sight that met his eyes. Luke was keeping vigil by Leia's bedside, perched in a chair with her hand clasped in both of his, pressed tightly to his forehead as if in prayer. Leia lay motionless –

"Luke?" he whispered, fearing the worst.

Luke started at the noise. He blinked several times, his eyes focusing slowly as if he had been a million light-years away, but when he finally saw Han hovering in the doorway his face split into an easy, genuinely pleased smile. It instantly brushed away Han's fears about Leia, but he hadn't missed the disquiet shadowing the kid's face before the smile had chased it away. Something was up.

Luke gently placed Leia's hand on the bed and stood as Han crossed the room. Luke waved him towards the chair but Han declined, happy to be able to stand on his own two legs again. It was only when he was by the bed that he saw one of the Kallidahins tapping away at a computer behind a screen in the corner and a GH-7 assistant droid hovering by a machine that was hooked to the thin tube inserted into Leia's wrist.

"Feeling better?" Luke asked quietly.

"Yeah, much," Han replied, throwing him a crooked grin before looking worriedly down at Leia. "How's she doing?"

"She'll be fine. They've just administered the reversal stimulant so she'll come round any moment now. Her shoulder's been reconstructed, it'll take a few days to heal over properly but it'll be as good as new."

"These people are good," Han admitted. "Put me right in no time too." He lowered his voice, leaning close to Luke's ear as he eyed the Kallidahin behind the screen. "But why would they help us?"

"They're good people, Han. They'd help anyone in trouble."

"Even Vader?" Han saw the defensive look on Luke's face and quickly waylaid him before the kid could go off on one. Most bizarrely, he'd had the same reaction from Chewie when Han had voiced what he'd thought were perfectly reasonable doubts under the circumstances.

"Look, Chewie told me what's been going on and that's not what I'm talking about right now. All I'm saying is, can we trust them if they're in league with Vader? He might be our new pal now, but we used to scram whenever Vader got too close, you know? Do you remember? I just want to know how these people know him, that's all I'm saying."

It was a valid question, and one Luke couldn't ask right now with his father closed off to him as he was, but he knew that Han's fears were unfounded. The Kallidahin had more than proven their trustworthiness in their twenty-two years of silence.

"That, I don't know. But you needn't be worried about the Kallidahin." Luke hesitated, considering how much to reveal. Perhaps a simplified, anonymised version wouldn't hurt. "Truth is –"

Movement caught their eye and the conversation was promptly forgotten as their gaze flew to Leia. Her arm twitched again, then her eyes fluttered and slowly opened.

"Leia!" they both cried at once. "Can you hear me?" Luke added.

Hazy brown eyes blinked and turned slowly towards them. "Han, Luke," she murmured. She started to smile but it bent instead into a frown, and a moment later she bolted upright.

"I've been shot –!" She stared transfixed at her shoulder, perplexed by the white medical robes and the absence of the black hole that she remembered so clearly. "But... Trann...?"

"We know," Han growled. "The idiot was trying to shoot Vader, he thought Vader had thrown his lightsaber at you."

"No! Vader –" she started arguing, then stopped short. She froze in confusion as she questioned her own senses. "He _saved_ me?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, our new best buddy saved your skin. Mine too, from what I hear. Now lie down –"

"Han," she interrupted, as she took in the sight of him beside the bed, "your legs? You're standing?"

"Don't worry about me, Leia, I'm fine."

"Come on, Leia," Luke said firmly, "you shouldn't be moving yet. Have a good night's rest and you'll feel much better in the morning."

Her eyes followed him as he gently guided her back down onto the bed and she sensed something in his fleeting gaze. "Luke? What is it?"

Han glanced at him too as Leia confirmed his suspicions. There was definitely something there.

Luke's response did nothing to allay their sense of unease. "Ask me again sometime."

* * *

"Luke, wait up!"

Luke turned at the top of the ramp to see his smartly dressed friend jogging around the curved corridor of the _Falcon_.

"Morning. Sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah. Now that we know Leia will be fine, we can all relax better, that's for sure. Are we leaving?" Lando asked with a hopeful raise of his brows. Luke had dropped by to check on those who had remained on the _Falcon_ since their arrival the previous day, but Lando had been resting off-shift and had missed the update.

Luke shook his head. "We'll stay put for today before we rendez-vous with the medical frigate, to give Leia's shoulder time to settle before we move her. Mothma also wants more time to organise the Fleet."

Lando gave an exaggerated, world-weary sigh. "I'll just have to cope for another day then."

"Cope?"

"Threepio," Lando muttered. "I know he's a great droid and everything, but it's a bit much being stuck in such close quarters with him, you know?"

Luke's eyes twinkled in mischief. "Just ask him to keep Trann company."

Lando's face split in a wide grin. "And there I was, thinking the Jedi didn't believe in revenge."

"Revenge?" Luke echoed with perfect innocence. "Of course not. But we do believe in justice."

Lando's laughter accompanied Luke all the way out of the _Falcon_.

Luke made his way alone through the expansive archaeological site. Many Kallidahins milled around, their utility belts and tools indicating their dedicated trade as they continued their long-term project of researching the ancient Eellayin. Luke nodded courteously to the natives as he passed them, their curiosity only apparent through the Force as he tentatively reached out with his senses.

'_Father?_'

Anakin had hidden himself away somewhere the previous night. Luke had respected his wish to be alone but he was now anxious to speak.

'_Son_.' Even through his tight shielding Anakin sounded worn down.

'_Can I see you?_'

There was another long pause before his father finally relented and gave a flash of insight as to where he was hiding. Luke followed the winding directions into a quieter section of the facility where signs of life disappeared altogether, past deserted excavation plots until he reached what appeared to be an ancient amphitheatre. He emerged onto a central stage with circular tiers of stone seating rising up from it, and there, on the top tier in the shadow of an ornate pillar, was the dark outline of his father.

Luke made his way up and around the shallow steps carved along the rows. Anakin was just tucking away his comlink when Luke reached him.

"Piett confirms the _Executor_ has arrived in Eriadu," Anakin supplied through the rumbling of his helmet. "Of the Super Star Destroyers currently deployed, the _Reaper_ under Grand Moff Kaine is the most likely choice if Palpatine is planning to use one. Piett will be able to report on any activity."

No small part of Luke was relieved to see that his father still seemed to be thinking strategically.

"I gave the order last night," Anakin explained. He hesitated, then added, "I also had an ulterior motive. Eriadu is also more easily accessible from here, should we suddenly be in need of firepower."

Luke nodded, understanding perfectly – it was to protect him and Leia.

There was an awkward silence as each waited for the other to speak next. Anakin was sitting upright, his posture taut from the exertion of holding himself still as they stared at each other. The respirator continued its steady cycle, drawing air in, releasing it back out, in a strangely muted hiss dampened by the amphitheatre's acoustics designed to amplify sound only from the main stage.

"How is Leia?" Anakin asked at length, with deliberate emphasis placed on the name as he forced himself to say it.

Luke smiled faintly. "She's doing well. She jostled her shoulder a little last night, but there's no harm done. Knowing her, she's probably already running around organising our final showdown against the Empire." Luke was only half joking. "She'll be perfectly fine in a few days, thanks to you."

Anakin emitted a sound suspiciously like a growl and launched off the stone step as if he could no longer contain himself. Luke watched calmly as his father stormed away, came to the decision that this could take a while, and sat down to wait patiently. Eventually his father strode back, his bootsteps clomping on the solid masonry.

"Nothing good is thanks to me!" Anakin argued as he towered over him. "All I have caused her is grief and pain!"

Luke was unperturbed, recognising his father's anger for the guilt and grief that it was. "She wouldn't be alive now if not for you," he stated calmly. "You saved her life on Geonosis, and you saved her again here."

Anakin glared in mute frustration, unable to argue the fact but equally unable to accept it, before he gave into his turbulent emotions within and stomped away again. He returned some twenty stormy steps later.

"Why didn't I see it? She's the spitting image of Padmé. What kind of father does that?"

Luke wasn't sure if he was talking about torturing her or not seeing her for who she was. He decided to run with the latter first. "We both missed it, father. Her Force presence is so similar to ours but I didn't see it either. I've always been able to recognise her, but she's become so familiar to me that I never thought of it as anything more than that I know her so well. Remember in Theed when she walked in on us arguing? When she found out you were my father? Neither of us sensed her enter the room, not only because we were distracted, but also because she blended in with us so well." He shrugged. "But who knows? Maybe the Force was concealing it from us until the time was right."

Anakin was silent for a moment, but not from lack of anything to say. "The right... the _right time_?" he eventually spluttered when he could speak past his shocked outrage. "The _right time_ would have been on the Death Star! I –"

He couldn't say it. _I made her scream_. _I made her cry_. His flaming temper was instantly crushed by the image of Leia's face, contorted in agony. His heart twisted so painfully that he could have sworn he felt every drip as it bled.

Luke sensed the words his father hadn't been able to voice. His face shadowed over as he fought to keep his own heart intact, but he did not waver in his intent. "And what would you have done had you discovered her then?"

Anakin froze.

Unlike Luke who had received Obi-Wan's guidance, scant as it was, and who could draw strength from the Light Side, Leia was a blank canvass. A newborn infant in the Force, as Vader he would have corrupted her to darkness, or killed her if she refused to turn. Would he have turned from the Dark Side at some point in that process, reformed to aid her instead, as he had Luke? The fact that he had done so at all was extraordinary. The transformation that had been sparked in the aftermath of Bespin and finally pressured to completion by Palpatine's excruciating punishment over Yavin 13 was unique – one which was unlikely to have ever occurred under different circumstances. Mired in the Dark Side, Darth Vader would have utterly destroyed her.

He had been so terrible as Vader, that torturing her was the lesser evil? The realisation left him reeling.

"It wasn't the right time, father," Luke confirmed quietly.

Anakin was staring at a spot somewhere over Luke's head, immersed in memories and such intense regret that seared his soul. He wandered away again, although this time his tread was slow and moved without attention. When he returned at long last, he sank down heavily next to his son. Whispering trails of despair leaked from his shielding.

"How will she ever let it go?" Anakin mumbled, still staring off into space as if expecting it to answer.

"Time and understanding will help her to forgive you," Luke tried to reassure in a manner that Anakin found strangely reminiscent of Obi-Wan.

Anakin shook his head. It wasn't forgiveness that troubled him. "She can think what she likes of me so long as it doesn't drive her to the Dark Side. She hates me, Luke. She must somehow learn to let it go, or the darkness will consume her." His voice dropped. "She is so much like me when I was younger. She feels so intensely, so much anger..."

A thought suddenly occurred to Luke, culminating from all of their previous conversations, all his father's earnest words that Luke had treasured close his heart as soon as he had heard them spoken. "But isn't she also like our mother?"

A sigh. "Yes," Anakin breathed fondly, with such love – but it was immediately eclipsed by a renewed sorrow even more acute than he had thought there could possibly be left to feel. _Padmé...!_

Luke spoke with deliberate emphasis, making sure his father heard. "You returned from the Dark Side for me, and you saved Leia's life. You're doing everything in your power to make up for the past and put things right, just as you promised me. I don't know if Leia will ever be able to forgive you, but I know she will at least come to understand. One day, she will come to see the difference between Darth Vader, the Sith Lord, and Anakin Skywalker, her father, and that will help her to let it go."

Anakin closed his eyes. He sincerely hoped so.

"And wouldn't my mother?"

Anakin spun towards him. "Wouldn't she what?"

"If she was with us today, wouldn't she see you as you truly are?"

Yes, Padmé would see him, _truly_ see him. It was one small concession. Not much, but far more than he deserved. Anakin's eyes pricked with hot tears. He knew he couldn't be objective enough to say whether Padmé would have forgiven him, but he knew that she would have at least acknowledged his efforts now to do all that he could.

Although he was far from replete, the thought brought the smallest measure of peace. It was the very first that he had felt towards Padmé in over two decades.

Anakin looked at his son in wonder. He could sense Luke's own turmoil at what his father had done to his sister, and somewhere in the boy's mind must also be the thought of his mother and himself as well. But Luke stubbornly continued to stand by him, unwavering in his support.

Anakin drew a deep, fortifying breath and slung an arm around Luke's shoulder, drawing him close.

"My son, you're also like your mother. So alike. You have no idea."

* * *

Luke hadn't been entirely serious when he'd suggested that Leia might already be mobilising the Alliance, but he stepped into the room where she was supposed to be convalescing and found himself walking into a web of holograms.

"There you are, Luke, just in time. What do you think? Our intel's picked up Imperial Fleet movement near Coruscant, is it significant?"

Luke's eyes flickered about him, mouth still open from what he had been about to say as he entered and frozen slack-jawed as he registered what was going on. It wasn't just that Leia wasn't recovering quietly – her room had morphed into a miniature Alliance Control Room. Holographic schematics overlapped each other, casting the room in an unnatural blue glow with their dense mesh of blue lines. Several computer displays had been procured somewhere and green dots blinked across what looked suspiciously like various scans of Coruscant and Chommell sector space. A comlink headset hung around her neck and a computer terminal hovered on a repulsor board close to the bed on her left.

Luke picked his jaw up off the floor and cleared his throat. "Where's Han?"

She didn't look at him, too busy studying some holographic figures floating past her nose while updating whatever she was doing on the computer. She exercised her frustration at being hampered by the sling immobilising her right arm by jabbing the keypad unnecessary hard with her left hand.

"He went to find another headset, this one kept breaking up."

"Who were you speaking to?"

"_Home One_. Artoo patched through a secure line," she mumbled absent-mindedly. But then she suddenly remembered a part of said conversation and she looked up sharply. "Can you believe it, Madine tried to suggest that Vader had actually just _missed_ me and hit the droid by accident?" She shook her head in disbelief at the audacity of the man. "Vader is many things but 'clumsy' is definitely not on the list."

"Did you raise it with all of High Command or just Madine?" he asked. Leia hadn't decided how to tackle the issue when he had updated her on what she had missed on Geonosis and the ensuing journey to Polis Massa.

"Oh, everyone, it needed to be made known. I know he'd never meant for his orders to lead to one of us getting shot," Leia carried on, her eyes straying back to the floating lights scattered all about them. "He insisted that he'd felt someone needed to watch Vader for our safety, and I believe him. But Mon was _not_ happy, to say the least." She sighed. "Who'd have known it was that 'Kara' who posed the most danger after all?"

Luke grimaced, but she brushed aside his apologies before he could voice them yet again. "Nobody blames you, Luke. It was due to the skill of the Emperor's Hand that you couldn't detect her. Besides, she's gone now and there was no real harm done. No, what really irked Mon was a member of High Command acting independently and in secret from the rest of us. I won't repeat the whole conversation, but the long and the short of it is, Madine has promised to toe the line. He'll never cease to be suspicious, but he understands that anyone acting independently might jeopardise all our efforts." Leia threw Luke a tight smile. "We all voted unanimously to cooperate fully with Vader as per his proposed deal. We're all in this together now."

Luke nodded slowly as she buried her face in the holographic data again, summoning the courage to say what needed to be said, trying to settle the flutter of trepidation. "Leia, there's something –"

Evidently, he couldn't hide anything from her. In just three words she had caught onto his tone and her eyes snapped up. She took one look at his face and must have seen something of considerable magnitude. She reached behind her to another control panel Luke hadn't even seen, and a moment later all the holograms vanished, returning the room to its customary white light, and she pushed the computer away from her.

"What's troubling you?" she asked gently.

Luke faltered momentarily as he was abruptly granted her full attention, her warm brown eyes regarding him in concern. He swallowed past the tightness in his chest and checked the door was shut behind him. He closed his eyes and scanned the room with the Force, not bothering to be subtle about it. This was not a conversation for eavesdroppers. He looked up to find her still watching him and he cautiously approached the bed.

"I'm going to Coruscant," he began. "With my father."

Coruscant meant Palpatine. "Luke, no..." She clutched his arm, her grip tight as if to prevent him from leaving.

"There's too much at stake for him to go alone."

As their eyes met they both knew that it couldn't be helped. Palpatine _had_ to fall. The consequences of Palpatine surviving the upcoming battle didn't bear thinking about. If she were in his shoes she would be doing exactly the same. But her gaze remained anxious, fearful – a fear born of love.

"Leia, he's not Darth Vader anymore."

He saw the wall come up in her eyes as clearly as if she had stacked permacrete blocks around herself.

"I've seen him," he started to explain, and Leia felt a flare of anger. After all his insistence on Theed about wanting to protect his son, to not shackle Luke by associating him with Darth Vader...!

"I've seen him in the Force," Luke clarified, intent on finding the right words and not noticing Leia's subtle sigh of relief. "He's turned from the Dark Side, Leia. He's Anakin Skywalker again."

She remembered the pale face lit by moonlight, those bright, blue eyes. Fast on the heels of that image followed the words she couldn't forget –

_I owe you a serious, personal apology. My treatment of you on the Death Star was deplorable. There is no excuse for what I did_.

_It is not something I could do now_...

His regret had appeared so genuine then. Had she been too hasty in spurning his apology?

But her resentment and anger stirred again inside her, just as it had then. He had controlled the interrogation droid, directed every moment of her worst nightmare. Flashes of burning skin and tearing flesh assaulted her, the things he had made her see and feel through the drugs and the terrible power of his mind. There could be no forgiveness for what he had put her through.

Luke was grave as he sensed her aggravated emotions. "The things done by Vader – that wasn't Anakin Skywalker, the man he is now. You have to believe me."

"No, Luke," she said, her voice hard. "I can't separate man from deed as readily as you can. To me he will always be Darth Vader."

Absorbed in her hate, she was startled back to reality when Luke picked up her hand and cradled it between his. A soothing whisper trickled up her arm and spread through her, a calming energy that she could feel in sharp relief against the turbulent darkness of her emotions.

"You feel it, don't you?"

She didn't answer, entranced by the sensation. It was peaceful, pure, life itself. She was reminded of the strange experience she'd had on Geonosis just before she had been shot.

"This is the Force, Leia. An energy field created by all living things, it binds the galaxy together."

"This is what makes you Jedi," she murmured in a flash of insight, feeling aglow from the buoyant feeling.

"Yes. The Light Side of the Force, nourished by compassion, honesty, mercy, purity of character." Luke's tone changed to one of warning. "But emotions opposite to these give rise to something else entirely. Anger, fear, aggression – they lead to the Dark Side, used by the Sith."

Her eyes widened. Inside her, the brightness sent forth by Luke spread like misty vapours carried on a morning breeze, dissipating the furling darkness that had gathered with her thoughts of Vader. She had felt the stark distinction even before he had spelled out the difference. One was created by life, while the other destroyed the very same.

"When this is all over, Leia, I'll tell you everything I have learned about why my father turned to the Dark Side. For now, there's only time to say that he turned to the Dark Side to save my mother. He loved her very deeply, and when he began to have portent dreams of her death, he was desperate to find any means he could to save her. Palpatine used his fears to lure him to the Dark Side, insisting that it could save her. That is how Anakin was lost."

The Hero With No Fear destroyed, Darth Vader born, for _love_? It was unthinkable!

And yet...

_Whatever else I am guilty of, your Highness, you cannot accuse me of not loving my wife!_

"You can feel the Force flowing through you, Leia, it's a part of you too. It gives you great insight and energy, but it also brings grave consequences. You were re-awakened to the Force on Geonosis, and now, in every moment for the rest of your life, you must _never_ forget. One abiding duty and principal above all, you must beware your anger, your fear. If you hold on to this hatred of Darth Vader, it will turn you into an agent of evil, as it did my father."

Her mind was awhirl. She _relied_ on her anger to face Vader, it drove her and gave her clarity of thought when the sight and sound of the armoured giant chased away her usual strength and determination. But now Luke was telling her that this very anger would change her into that which she most feared and hated?

"I'm not going to turn into Darth Vader," she insisted. She was half laughing, but it sounded hollow.

"I'm sure nobody thought Anakin Skywalker would, either," he answered quietly.

Her eyes widened. Just as the very fear he warned against threatened to surface, Luke smiled. It was the warm, trusting smile she knew so well. "But I know you. You've always been strong, you have great compassion. You'll overcome this, Leia, you'll stay with the Light Side."

Luke's reassuring smile, whilst heartfelt, was fleeting, and she knew from his troubled face that there was more.

"What is it?" she asked nervously, wondering how there could possibly be anything more to say. Hadn't she been unsettled enough for one day?

"Leia, if we don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

She was very disturbed by what he was suggesting. "Luke, don't talk that way, of course you'll make it back. And I'm no cause for hope. I might feel the Force but I could never do what you do."

"You're wrong, Leia. In time you'll learn to use it as I have." He searched her eyes, his gaze full of love and sadness in equal measure. She could only stare back mutely as dread reared within her of its own accord.

"The Force is strong in my family. My _father_ has it. _I_ have it. And –"

A spark of understand leaped between them, and she knew before he even uttered the words.

"– my _sister_ has it."

Sister – Luke was her brother! In the face of that one thought, for just a split second, all else was forgotten. "I know," she breathed, barely a sound in her wonder that she wasn't at all surprised. She didn't even question it. "Somehow, I've always known."

He was already her brother in her heart, and after all this time, to discover that he truly was! She started to smile, her mouth curling upwards –

Reality belatedly caught up with her. That meant –

Her face turned into pure horror.

* * *

_Nooo!_

The sonic welder clattered from Anakin's hand as the anguished cry lashed at him through the Force, untrained but violently intense. He staggered against Artoo as his daughter's pain cleaved his heart in two.

* * *

"Listen to me, Leia!" Luke captured her face in his hands, turning her firmly towards him. "He is Anakin Skywalker. _Anakin Skywalker_," he emphasised. "Do you hear?"

Huge eyes stared into his. "He's the same man to me, Luke. The same man who –"

"Who saved your life on Geonosis," Luke interrupted. "Who brought you here when we had nowhere else to go, who gave you blood so you would survive. We only just found out that you're my twin sister, but even before that, since Bespin, he's plotted and planned and aided the rebellion, all so that his _son_ wouldn't be enslaved by Palpatine as he was. And he would do no less for you. _That _is the kind of man our father is, Leia! A man who is trying desperately to answer to his crimes when he was lost to the Dark Side, who would now do _anything_ to protect his family."

She was breathing heavily, the emotional trauma a physical strain on her body. Darth Vader's blood ran in her veins, her every cell an imprint of his!

"Where is he now then?" she demanded, lashing out. "He can't even face me to tell me himself?"

Luke's gaze softened. His own traumatic discovery on Bespin was still etched in his mind with pinpoint clarity as if it had happened only yesterday. "I thought it might be easier to hear it from me."

He was shielding her! Luke's protectiveness seeped through her defences as no harsh words could ever have done. How could she gain a brother she loved so much, and a father she hated so much, all in the same moment? Her anger abruptly vanished, leaving her heaving on a sob.

"Please, Leia," he urged. "Think about what I said earlier. Everything I told you about my father – he's your father too."

It was too much for her to take. She curled into a ball, tightly hugging her knees with her left arm.

"Leia –"

She shook her head, her face still buried in her knees.

Luke regarded her anxiously, casting his mind back to the aftermath of Bespin for any clue to how he could help her. Mothma had grilled him on his encounter with Vader, what had happened and what he had learned, when all he'd wanted was to be left alone. "Shall I go?"

There was no reaction. He sighed. "I'll go."

Still nothing. After a moment's hesitation he reached towards her and gently smoothed her hair. She didn't pull away. He bent to press a brotherly kiss to her dark crown. She leaned into him, just a little, but it was enough. Luke gently rubbed her back in slow circles as she screwed her eyes shut and sat there trembling.

This was the view that greeted Han as the door parted open and he nearly dropped the tangle of headsets in his arms. His first instinct was to leave but Luke turned and gave him a grim smile. The kid's troubled expression stopped him in his tracks.

"I'll come by later," Luke murmured into Leia's hair, and with a final squeeze of her hand he headed out of the room.

Han turned to Leia and was flummoxed to see her curled up on the bed. "Hey, what's going on?"

It was only when she turned aside and wiped her face that he realised she was crying. He dumped the headsets on a side table and hurried to her side. "Leia? What happened?"

"I –" She stared at him with wide, glistening eyes, searching his face, her mouth moving silently as if somebody had stolen the breath from her lungs. Looking at Han, there was only one word for it. _Sithspawn_. That's what she was, literally. She couldn't say it. "I – I can't tell you."

Without knowing why, he was suddenly angry. "Could you tell Luke? Is that who you could tell?"

"I –" she tried again, but her throat closed up, fresh tears welled. She abruptly turned away, hiding her face from him, hiding the hurt and fear.

Han growled and a scant few angry steps carried him to the door. But then, inexplicably, all his outrage vanished. What was he doing? He had promised himself that he wouldn't come between them. Luke came to mind, the kid's face almost grey as he had left. There was hurt on both sides here.

Han walked quietly back to the bed. He hovered, at a loss what to do, itching to take her hand but uncertain whether the touch would be welcome. "I'm sorry," he said eventually.

Suddenly Leia turned into him, burying her face into his chest, her one good arm clamped around him as if he was her lifeline in a vicious storm.

"Hold me," she mumbled into his shirt.

With his heart doing flip-flops in his chest, he gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

* * *

A persistent beeping gradually filtered through the hazy fog that surrounded him, and Anakin looked down to find his comlink flashing. He plucked it into hand and was about to press the switch when Artoo's frantic whistles stopped him.

Anakin dropped the comlink. "Thank you, Artoo, I forgot." He replaced the mask and helmet that he had discarded in the confines of the locked room alone with the droid, and when the respirator had resumed its customary artificial sound he picked up the comlink again.

"Admiral?" he rumbled.

"Lord Vader, I apologise for the interruption."

"Go ahead," Anakin said, knowing Piett wouldn't have used the heavily encrypted frequency unless it was important.

"My lord, the Emperor commands you make contact with him."

Anakin frowned. This could be tricky. "Did you send word that I am not on board the _Executor_?" he asked, his mind already running through viable explanations for an overdue return to his ship. Fortunately Eriadu was a relatively fast hyperspace jump from Polis Massa along the Hydian Way, but the short delay might still make Palpatine suspicious.

Piett's reply cut into his ruminations. "No, my lord. As usual I confirmed that I would alert you at once." He cleared his throat and continued with some uncertainty. "Actually, my lord, according to the ship's manifest, you returned to the _Executor_ prior our departure from Geonosis and have since been ensconced in your chambers."

Anakin found his eyebrows rising along with his curiosity. "How so?"

"I deemed that your abrupt absence might concern _some_ of the crew" – his emphasis hinted at Palpatine's spies on board – "so I sent five of your most trusted troops from the 501st legion down to the surface on the pretence of escorting you back, and they landed in your private hangar. They have vowed silence on the matter and the general word amongst the men is that, uh," – Piett cleared his throat again – "you are 'meditating' in your chambers, my lord."

Darth Vader 'meditating' in his chambers was a red alert for all personnel to stay well clear of his quarters unless one had a keen death wish, and it wasn't by any means the first time he had kept the _Executor_, or even his entire Death Squadron fleet, waiting while he vented his infamous and violent temper.

"That is inspired, Admiral," Anakin commended, genuinely pleased with the man's foresight.

"Tha-thank you, my lord," Piett stammered at the unexpected praise.

"No, Admiral, it is I who should be thanking you. I could not do this without your support and acuity, and I want you to know how much it is appreciated."

There was some incomprehensible stuttering on the other end and Anakin could imagine Piett being at a complete loss as to how to respond to such an uncharacteristic expression of gratitude.

"Now," Anakin continued, not wanting to further embarrass the man, "I will forward a secure signal, if you would re-route the transmission via my private holochamber onboard."

"Ye–yes, my lord, of course."

* * *

"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Never had those simple words grated so much. To think how many times he had addressed Palpatine thus in the last two decades! When he had knelt to Jedi Masters back in the days of old, it had been a gesture of the highest respect. But kneeling before Darth Sidious was nothing more than a seal of servitude. Although he was now saved from painful knees thanks to the Kallidahin's vastly improved prosthetics, his sense of resentment was no less for it. He channelled all his feelings into the dark cloud he was projecting to imitate his former self.

"Were your investigations on Geonosis successful, Lord Vader?"

Palpatine was obliged to follow up on the mission he had personally ordered Vader to see to, but Anakin could detect the Sith Master's impatience to be rid of the question. Clearly whatever purpose Palpatine had demanded this communication for took precedence and he had lost interest in the imposter marching around his galaxy imitating his second in command. So Anakin launched into a particularly detailed account, droning on about the incompetence and lethargy of the locally based troops and the consequent difficulties in searching for the imposter, the time-consuming investigation which eventually led to the possibility of it having been a mere droid –

Palpatine's patience ran out long before Vader's drawling. "You have done well, Lord Vader," he snapped, using the customary and rather hollow praise to interrupt his apprentice. "I look forward to reading your report."

Anakin inclined his head, revelling in the secret knowledge of having orchestrated the entire event himself in order to rescue Han Solo.

When Palpatine continued, however, Anakin knew the displeasure he now detected in the gravelly voice was no more than a carefully constructed ruse.

"There is an urgent matter requiring your personal attention. It seems that the rebels have discovered our secret project at Endor. A small rebel fleet has penetrated the energy shield and landed on the sanctuary moon. You will take the _Executor_ and destroy them."

Anakin's breath caught in his throat as he made rapid calculations in his head. Fortunately the respirator functioned independently and did not betray his alarm. He replied carefully, "The signing of the Treaty is in three days, I cannot guarantee that I could return in time."

A pale, gnarled hand wafted in front of a pale, gnarled face. "I can manage one signature without you, my friend, and we will have some time yet after the ceremony before our decisive move on the rebel pests." As he saw Vader still hesitated, Palpatine leaned forward. He scowled, his tone dangerous. "I am sure you understand, Lord Vader, this project is of the _utmost_ importance?"

There was a noticeable pause before Anakin inclined his head. "Of course."

Palpatine eased back in his throne, his yellow eyes gleaming with triumph. "You must ensure its safety and return with it to Imperial Center. We will use it to crush the rebellion and impose absolute command over my Empire, once and for all."

"As you wish, my master."

* * *

Palpatine's face stretched into a thin smile as soon as the hologram of Vader's bowed helmet had faded. He could sense his Apprentice was uneasy – and as well he should be. He knew Vader had his own plans with the rebels but they were of little consequence. A chaotic mishmash of disgruntled, downtrodden outlaws was no threat for the mastermind who had outmanoeuvred and destroyed the entire Jedi Order and the Old Republic. As if engaged in a galactic game of Dejarik, he was yet again shifting the players into place with practised ease. Young Skywalker would soon be at his side and Vader's time would be at an end. A new age of the Sith, one darker and stronger, was almost upon them.

It was time to bring matters to a head. Closing his eyes, he stretched forth his vast powers to contact Mara Jade.

* * *

_Piercing, yellow eyes glowed from within the shadows of the dark hood. The figure raised his arms, white hands emerging from deep sleeves, fingers gnarled like ancient trees, thick black nails curved like talons. _

_"Only now, at the end, do you understand!"_

_Crackling blue energy burst from the tips of those clawing fingers and snaked through the air, spitting and crackling as it raced forwards. In the moment before the blast hit, the figure's face was illuminated by the blue lightning. It was hideous. Folds of scarred, wrinkled flesh. White lips snarling, peeling back to reveal blackened teeth. He was a monster, long past the time when he was known as a man._

_The Force lightning struck, tearing through flesh and bones, nerve-endings searing in agony. Screams errupted, hoarse with anguish. The cries faded as life slowly ebbed –_

"NO –!"

Luke's eyes shot open as he leapt to his feet. His lightsaber was already in his palm and activated as he spun about his room, darkened to aid his meditation. It took several moments to recognise the similarities with the vision he'd had of his friends on Cloud City and another few seconds to be certain that he wasn't facing Palpatine then and there. He gradually eased out of his defensive position and hooked his lightsaber back on his belt.

'_Luke?_'

Luke took a deep breath to release the tension in his shoulders and focused on the Force. '_Father. You saw it too?_'

'_It will not come to pass, I promise you!_'

His father was all durasteel determination. Luke picked up on it, added his own focused resolve. '_No, we'll make sure of it_.'

Anakin was currently on the _Executor_ in Eriadu and communicating over the greater distance took some concentration. He had departed abruptly earlier for urgent preparations, as well as to generally make his presence felt and 'smash some walls and furniture' – his exact words, apparently a necessity for maintaining the ruse that he had been onboard since departing Geonosis.

Luke sensed his father's attention turn elsewhere briefly before returning. '_It seems your sister saw the vision as well. She won't understand_.'

Knowing his father as he did, Luke wasn't surprised by his concern for Leia. Luke was already heading out of the door as he reached out towards his twin. Her agitated Force presence was easy to locate. '_I'm heading over_.'

'_She must also learn to shield herself, and quickly. She glows like a homing beacon. Luke – we can't let Palpatine sense her!_'

The Force was unsettled. They could both feel the renewed urgency since the vision, hear the warnings whispering in their ears. Something had changed, something had happened to tip the balance in Palpatine's favour.

There was much to learn and only an hour before the strategy meeting, but Luke was undaunted. _Do, or do not. There is no try_.

'_I'll teach her now_,' Luke replied decisively.

It was time to start passing on what he had learned.


	13. When demons prey

Hello everyone!

Phew, this was some epic writing! It was so long I had to break it into two installments, the next part will follow within a few days once I've done the final edit. Make yourself a nice hot drink (or, even better, smile very sweetly at someone else to make one for you), have some biscuits to hand for dunking (though personally I'd just nibble on them, can't stand soggy biscuits, ugh), and enjoy! :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** No prizes for guessing who SW belongs to.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 13. When demons prey  
**

"I don't. See. Anyone!" came Han's insistent voice that was equal exasperation and alarm.

"Where did he go?" Leia demanded.

"_Who_? There's no one else here! Artoo, you sure you didn't project something?"

There was an objectionable splat from the droid.

Their raised voices reached Luke down the corridor even before he had arrived at Leia's room. He walked in to find them brandishing blasters, instantly drawing their attention with his movement.

"Luke!" Leia cried, snatching her blaster up as she recognised him. "I almost shot you! Can you sense him? You must be able to. Evil, monstrous –"

Han watched anxiously as Luke calmly walked right up to Leia and placed a hand on her blaster, lowering it firmly until it was pointing at the floor. "He's not here," he said in a voice that was so soothing that even Han felt somewhat appeased. He didn't know that Luke was infusing it with the Force.

"Who's not here?" Han asked as he followed suit and lowered his own weapon.

"He was right in front of me," Leia insisted, quieter now but still peering into every corner of the room. "I saw him! His eyes, they were glowing, and the lightning –"

"I know, I saw it too. It was a vision, nothing more. It wasn't real."

"Not real?" She shook her head, trying to escape the fiendish image still smouldering on the inside of her eyelids.

"_Hey_," Han interrupted emphatically, waving his blaster like a flag to catch their attention. "Care to share? Who're you talking about? And what visions?"

Luke shared a glance with Leia, wordlessly confirming in that one look how much he could reveal. "We discovered on Geonosis that Leia has some sensitivity to the Force."

They both sensed Han's distinct exasperation before he stuffed his blaster back in the holster slung on his hip. "Oh, _right_, the _Force_," he drawled in cynical exaggeration before rolling his eyes and muttering to himself, "I'm out of it for a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur..."

Leia planted her fists on her hips. "I didn't _choose_ –"

"No, no, it's great," Han interrupted with obviously fake, overblown enthusiasm. "You both have this Force stuff and you can both be Jedis together. That's just peachy. Look, I just remembered I have to look over the _Falcon_, make sure Artoo hasn't done any permanent damage" – Artoo didn't waste any time in bleeping his denial – "and who knows what Lando's done to her? I'll catch you both later."

He was gone before either of them could say another word, with Artoo rolling after him in a flurry of affronted electronic beeps.

Leia's confused, anxious gaze lingered on the closed door. She very nearly went after him, but then she sighed heavily, and simply began gathering up the datachips which had been scattered in the commotion. Luke waved a hand and all the datachips flew up in an arc to arrange themselves into three neat piles on the table.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied automatically, distracted as her eyes followed the floating path of the small chips. She caught herself and shook her head. "Actually, no, I'm not alright. What _was_ that?"

"A Force vision. I was meditating, you must have been caught in the flow. You saw what I saw." He hesitated, but decided openness was best. "Father saw it too."

She ignored that last part. "Do you see them often?"

"No. The last time was when you and Han were on Cloud City. It's a possible future, nothing more."

"It seemed so real," she murmured.

He nodded. "Sometimes they're fleeting images, sometimes there are also voices and sounds, or other sensations. It's what father saw when he had repeated dreams of our mother dying."

Her face clouded over. She had let it slide once, but not twice. "I know how you feel about Vader. And I know you're trying to get me used to the idea. But – just don't, OK?"

Luke raised his palms in acquiescence. Leia went back to the datachips, searching for the one she'd been about to read when Palpatine's hideous image had burned through her mind.

"Leia," Luke started quietly.

She didn't like that tone. Last time it had been an omen of her whole world being turned on its head. She ignored him and continued flicking through the datachips.

"I can teach you to shield yourself. It'll protect you from inadvertently seeing other visions, but more importantly –"

"Not now, Luke," she cut in. "I can just ignore the visions. There's so much to do before the strategy meeting."

Luke gave no reply.

Seconds later she almost leaped out of her own skin when she 'saw' him in her mind. She was instantly reminded of that moment after they had flown away from Cloud City, when she had felt Luke in her mind and known instinctively where he was. Only this was far more intense, as if he existed as a small particle in her head and was staring right back at her. Everything that made him Luke – his steadfastness and compassion, even the tranquillity that she had always felt pervading the air around him but which she could now see stretched far into the Force as an incandescent presence – were all right there in her mind.

'_I can't tell you enough how important it is that you learn to conceal yourself in the Force_.' It was Luke's voice as if she could hear it in her ear, but without words or sounds, his meaning and earnestness crystal clear. '_Without shielding, anyone who can control the Force will see you as you're seeing me now. You need to learn to shield yourself and your presence. In time I can teach you so much more, but for now, _this_ cannot wait_.'

She felt him fade from her awareness until she was blinking and staring at him in a way with which she was much more familiar. She had never thought the physical world would feel so hard and flat, as if there was no depth.

"I was... _seeing_ you in the Force," she murmured, finally understanding what he had told her earlier about 'seeing' Vader. Was that really only earlier that same day? Already it felt like such a long time ago, as if she had aged since learning who her biological father was.

With that fresh reminder, all of a sudden it was imperative that she learn this shielding. Palpatine's inhuman yellow eyes were still emblazoned in her mind, but there was another who provided even more incentive for her to conceal herself. She didn't waste time dwelling on what Vader might have already 'seen'. If it was within her capabilities to block him from any further advantages by way of the Force, she would take it.

She firmly brushed aside the datachips and turned to her brother. "What do I do?"

* * *

"Admiral!" Gherant called urgently from a communications console.

Piett spared a furtive, fleeting glance out of the viewports at the _Reaper_ passing within a scant few hundred metres of them, but he couldn't see from this position whether it was the news he had secretly been waiting for. He marched smartly down the command walkway of the _Executor_'s bridge. "Yes, Commander?"

"We were monitoring internal communication aboard the _Reaper_ as ordered, sir. Large explosions were reported in multiple engine banks in the last few minutes."

If Piett's lips gave the smallest twitch, nobody noticed. "Contact Grand Moff Kaine for a full update," he ordered.

Before Gherant could relay the order, the communications officer was already turning eagerly towards them. "Sir, we have a priority signal from the _Reaper_!"

"He's hailing us?" Piett mused. "Very well, put him through."

Moments later, a life-size hologram of the Grand Moff of Oversector Outer appeared on the bridge. "Where is Lord Vader?" he demanded instantly.

"Grand Moff Kaine," Piett greeted with a polite nod. "Lord Vader is not to be disturbed at this present time but I will relay your report. You are, I presume, contacting us with regards to the explosions aboard your ship?"

Kaine's usually lined face was furrowed with even deeper lines of aggravation, his non-regulation wavy grey hair dishevelled as if it had been raked repeatedly by frustrated fingers. "You don't sound surprised, Admiral."

Piett's face arranged itself into a perfect expression of patient tolerance. "I would be ill-qualified for my position if I was surprised at every piece of information, Grand Moff. Unless," he added mildly, "you meant something quite different?"

Kaine was visibly fuming. Since receiving the top secret dispatch from the Emperor awarding him the honour of enforcing security with the _Reaper_ at the Treaty ceremony, he had been in a near-childish state of anticipation. He didn't belong on the distant fringes of the Empire tidying up after Tarkin's death; his place was at the forefront with Palpatine, spearheading Imperial visions and policies. Palpatine had hinted that the _Executor_ would be assigned elsewhere during the ceremony and Kaine could only imagine Vader of being jealous at being passed over for the key role. And now Kaine's chances of travelling to Naboo were all but ruined. But no matter how suspicious he might be of Piett being involved with the explosions to default the honour back to Vader, there wasn't a shred of evidence – yet – and he couldn't point fingers at Vader's favoured Admiral on just a hunch.

"I only meant that you are well informed," Kaine ground out. "_All_ hyperdrive propulsion systems have been wiped out and first indications are that they will need significant repairs, if not entire replacements, to restore hyperspace travel. The _Reaper_ will be stranded at Eriadu for the next few days at the very least."

"If you're in need of additional engineers there are several within Lord Vader's inspection teams currently onboard your ship," Piett suggested helpfully. "They have my clearance to assist your men. What caused the explosions?"

"It's too early to be certain but such coordinated damage can only be sabotage," Kaine growled, glaring at the Admiral. "My men are investigating as we speak. We _will_ discover who is behind this, I assure you."

"I'm sure the Emperor will accept nothing less," Piett replied smoothly, his deadpan expression giving nothing away. "But I must say, it's fortunate that you're currently not employed on any significant assignments, isn't it?"

Kaine stared, stupefied. Was the Admiral really innocent or did the man just have the audacity to dangle the proverbial carrot in front of his face? "Yes, isn't it," was all that he could say, having been constrained from discussing the matter by the Emperor himself.

"Lord Vader will want a full update at his convenience. May I suggest that you keep me informed of progress with the investigation and repairs?"

Kaine bristled. He was the superior in rank but Piett answered to Vader which gave him clout. "Of course," he snapped before terminating the connection.

* * *

There was a wet sound of slurping air. "The remainder of the Fleet can be concealed in the shadow of Dargul. From there it is a short hyperspace jump to Naboo."

Ackbar had arrived amidst the recent recruitment drive courtesy of 'Varykino' and the Empire's continuing atrocities. Han only knew him by reputation and the little he had heard from Leia in the minutes before the strategy meeting. Experienced in command with a history of creative victories, Ackbar was greatly respected amongst his people. As soon as he had been appointed the Supreme Commander of the Alliance Fleet he had begun tackling the monumental task of unifying the many splintered groups – from all the existing squadrons and the starfighters brought along by the rebellion's new allies, to the substantial number of Mon Calamari Star Cruisers that Ackbar himself had brought as well as those warships either donated or financed by Vader.

"Most traffic passes between Umgul and the Enarc Run so they should be able to avoid detection by Imperial ships," Ackbar continued.

Han had seen his fill of the weird and wonderful during his extensive travels, but this Alliance strategy meeting won the surreal stakes hands down. His eyes drifted to Mothma's hologram at one end of the table, flanked by Madine, Rieekan and Fishhead in similar monochrome blue. The other half of the circle was completed by those physically sitting in the conference room made available to them by the Kallidahin – Leia, himself, Chewie, Luke... and who else but their new best buddy, Darth Vader, dominating the opposite end of the table. Artoo had parked himself on Vader's other side opposite Luke, and Goldenrod tottered about behind everyone as per his usual anxious self. Despite being heavily outnumbered by Alliance members, Vader seemed to balance out the lot of them by his sheer presence. And they were all sitting there politely discussing stealth tactics of the Rebel Alliance Fleet over cups of herb tea – it was every bit as natural as it would have been for Threepio to strike up a new career as a smooth-talking, trigger-happy smuggler.

"Two Star Destroyers routinely patrol that region," Vader warned as he began tapping something into his comlink. "The ranking captain is partial to senseless destruction and may not abide by the current ceasefire. Your ships should stay well out of range of their sensors."

Han almost laughed outright at hearing Vader warning them to stay clear of troublesome Imps, and only just managed to curb it into a snort.

"Do they follow a particular schedule, Lord Vader?" Mothma asked, ignoring the rude interjection.

Vader tucked his comlink away. "My Admiral will forward you the data, Chief Mothma."

"That is much appreciated," she acknowledged.

"We will remain concealed as much as possible," Ackbar said in the clipped speech typical of his race. "But what of the Super Star Destroyer from Eriadu? That would not be easy to evade."

"The _Reaper_ has been taken care of," Vader replied with finality. "It will not make an appearance at Naboo in the immediate future."

Luke and Leia exchanged glances. They weren't the only ones looking surprised, although scepticism might have been the more prominent emotion in the others.

"Your ships will need to move into position quickly, Admiral," Vader continued. "Palpatine is making his move. Whatever he has planned, it will be imminent."

"Good," Han chirped. "I hate long waits."

Mothma continued as if Han hadn't spoken. "Have you received more intel, Lord Vader?"

"Not in such plain terms. All I have gathered from my intel network is that the Imperial retinue is arranging his journey to Naboo for the ceremony. But there are other indications. Do you currently have any ships in the Moddell sector, most notably in the proximity of the outermost forest moon of Endor?"

There were blank looks all around. "Not to our knowledge," Mothma answered.

"I thought not. Palpatine has ordered me there to fight off a supposed rebel attack, but I believe it is merely a ruse to have me engaged elsewhere during the signing ceremony when he acts."

Mothma frowned. "We would appreciate some clarification, Lord Vader. Why would he want you engaged elsewhere?"

"Because he knows I will oppose him."

Her eyes widened a fraction, the only indication of her alarm. "Has he mentioned this?"

"It is the way of the Sith," he replied. Seeing their confusion he tried to explain. "The... _relationship_, for want of a better word, between a Sith Master and his Apprentice would appear strange to many. It is custom that when the Apprentice is powerful enough in the ways of the Dark Side, he or she takes the Master's life. In a way it can be argued that the Master's greatest triumph is the moment of his or her death, when the Apprentice they have trained is worthy to take the title of Master and continue leading the Sith Order. I would wager that Palpatine is actually disappointed that I have not already succeeded in killing him."

"I see," Mothma said, although her tone suggested otherwise. "And what is it that he would want protected in Endor?"

In the slight pause before he replied, the tension in the room notched up higher for reasons most of them couldn't understand. Luke and Leia felt the gravity emanating from the black-armoured figure before he replied.

"It is the current construction site of the Empire's most monstrous creation – the Second Death Star."

Everyone froze. Then as one, their gaze was drawn to Leia and Rieekan who had both paled considerably.

"Oh, goodness me!" Threepio wailed.

"By the Nine Sithing Hells..." Han mumbled.

A crease appeared between Mothma's brow. "I had heard rumours from our Bothan spies but it had not been confirmed. How far along is the construction?"

"I am not certain, Palpatine has been keeping me away from the project for reasons which are now becoming clear. I suspect he plans to use it, so he would have prioritised the primary weapons development. But the fact that he is sending me to secure it and return with it to Coruscant indicates it is not yet entirely useful. It may not be complete yet but neither should we underestimate its capabilities."

"And those are?"

"The Second Death Star is designed to be over five times the size of the first, and its armament is proportionally greater. The superlaser will also be more powerful, with a greater reach."

An uneasy silence fell on the group.

"What will you do?" Luke asked.

Vader shook his head, a gesture of uncertainty that few in the room had ever seen from him. "As you know, I had intended to challenge Sidious on Coruscant prior to the Treaty signing, but this forces me to reconsider. We must secure the Death Star to keep it out of his hands, and only I, personally, could be certain of obtaining clearance to board and gain control of the station. But that would leave me too far away for too long when he acts, which is exactly his intention."

Han leaned towards Chewie and whispered, "Sidious?"

Luke overheard the question. "Darth Sidious is Palpatine's Sith name," he supplied quietly, but loud enough for the benefit of any others present who were wondering the same.

Rieekan was scowling darkly as he leaned forward. "However we decide to proceed, the Death Star _must not_ endanger civilian lives." His voice brooked no compromise, steeled from the years of pain over his homeworld's destruction and his failure to warn his people of the blast that had ended the lives of two billion of his fellow Alderaanians.

"I don't like it," Madine grumbled. "If Palpatine knows that Vader has sided with the Alliance, why would he give him a chance to gain control the Death Star?"

"You're right to be suspicious, General," Vader replied, surprising the man with his agreement. "I can't make sense of it yet but there's no doubt that it would serve his purpose in some way."

"Maybe he's gonna use the Death Star to blow up your ship when you get there," Han suggested.

"No," Vader refuted immediately, "he is planning something more. If his aim was only to kill me he would not waste the _Executor_, he would have simply summoned me to Coruscant."

"Right, and his Exalted Wrinkledness would've just popped you off," Han said sarcastically.

"_His Exalted Wrinkledness_," Vader echoed, making Han grin, "is more powerful than you could imagine, you would be wise not to underestimate him. He managed to conceal his true nature from the Jedi his whole life, even when he was the Senator of Naboo and the Supreme Chancellor."

"Lord Vader," Mothma stepped in, "are you absolutely certain that he will act on his plans at the signing ceremony?"

"Yes," he replied bluntly.

"And what is it that he aims to achieve?" she pressed.

"Palpatine has two immediate objectives. One is obvious, to destroy the Rebel Alliance. The other... The consequences could be far more devastating." Anakin hesitated, unsure of how much his son would want revealed to his friends, but Luke's soft words answered for him.

"He's after me."

Han's short laugh cut into the uncertain pause that followed. "Yeah, when Hutts ride swoops," he smirked. But his confident grin faded when Luke remained grim. "You can't be serious. Look, kid – don't take this the wrong way or anything, but you're thinking too much of yourself."

"Unfortunately not," Vader replied gravely. "Darth Sidious is after a new apprentice."

"Another apprentice?" Mothma murmured in shock.

"To _replace_ me, not another," Vader clarified. "He abides by the Rule of Two – at any one time there is only one Master and one Apprentice. More would only serve to exacerbate infighting and treachery."

"But what about the Emperor's Hands, like that Mara Jade?" Rieekan asked.

"There are many Hands and other agents with varying degrees of sensitivity to the Force, but they are far from being Sith in both instruction and potential. The selection of a Sith Apprentice is a serious undertaking, it must be one who will prove worthy of the considerable time and effort required for the training."

"And that would be Luke," Han said dubiously, still not able to get his head around the idea that the so-called almighty walking corpse was specifically after his young friend.

Anakin could also sense the uncertainty in the Alliance leaders and it was crucial that for them not to underestimate the gravity of the matter. He fixed his masked gaze on Han, intent on removing all doubt. "Luke's sensitivity to the Force is surpassed by only a handful in the thousands of years of the history of the Jedi Order. He already wields great power and he hasn't yet reached his full potential. Even on Cloud City, barely trained, he held his own against me. He may one day become the most powerful Jedi the galaxy has ever seen."

All of this acclaimed sensitivity to the Force wasn't enough to regulate the blood flow to his face and Luke knew from the sudden heat in the room that he probably resembled the colour of Tatooine's twin sunset. It was like the Freedom Chronicles all over again. Really, being a proud father was one thing, but did he have to be so vocal about it? Under less grave circumstances Luke would have been having serious words with his father, company be damned.

Madine stared at the polite, modest young man looking for all the world as if he wanted the Polis Massa rock to swallow him up whole as Vader extolled his praises, and he shook his head in bafflement. "You're saying that Palpatine is trying to turn Luke into... forgive the expression, but... someone like you? How does that even work?"

Luke jumped on the opportunity to steer the conversation into less embarrassing waters. "Have you heard of the Force? Whether or not you believe in it," he added when he saw Han open his mouth.

Han promptly closed his mouth. Everyone nodded.

"Very simply put," Luke explained, "the Force, in part, enhances what you are, giving greater awareness, abilities and insight. But there are two sides to it. The Jedi use the Light Side of the Force, and for thousands of years they were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. The Sith are on the other extreme, they use –"

"Oh, let me guess, the _Dark_ Side?" Han smirked.

"Yes," Luke confirmed, not at all perturbed by his friend's cynical tone. "The Dark Side is... very different."

"The Dark Side corrupts." Even Vader's vocaliser sounded unusually sombre. "Great power is easily within reach, but it is a twisted, malevolent energy that fills you, consumes you entirely until there isn't even a shadow of your former self, until you're nothing but a vessel of darkness."

"Is that what happened to you?" Madine asked suggestively.

"I am not here to speak of myself," Anakin said with finality. "Suffice to say, Darth Sidious seeks a new apprentice. He deems me too weak."

That was certainly a shocking idea. But then, so was the suggestion that the mild-mannered Luke that they all knew could be more powerful than the formidable Darth Vader.

"Let me get this straight – Vader's going to be far away someplace while Luke is swallowed up by this Dark Side stuff? _That_'s the old coot's plan? Sounds like a load of mynock muffins to me," Han mumbled, slouching down in his seat.

"Wait, doesn't that make three?" Madine asked. "If Lord Vader's elsewhere then there would be three... Siths, did you call it?"

"The term is Sith Lord, or Dark Lord of the Sith. Palpatine will _not_ succeed, but yes, if his plan was to come to fruition, there will be three Sith Lords for a time. It appears that he is more confident of turning Luke to the Dark Side if I am not present to hinder him. No doubt he then intends to send Luke to destroy me, as well as the Rebel Alliance."

All eyes swung to Luke who squirmed at the attention.

"I'm not going to _join_ him," he objected in an offended tone.

"We know, Luke," Leia murmured, speaking for the first time as she reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. The familiar gesture was perfectly natural in view of their relation, but Han read it in an entirely different light and looked away.

Perhaps the simple touch gave Leia some strength, or reminded her that the shocking discovery which had shattered her entire world had had a silver lining. Whatever it was, she now drew herself up in her seat and for the first time since Vader had stepped into the conference room with the others, she looked at him with her usual assertive authority.

"How might Palpatine go about trying to turn Luke into his Apprentice?"

Anakin's momentary pause at being addressed by Leia was only understood by the two of them and Luke. He could read nothing from her; Luke's short lesson on shielding had obviously done its job. Leia's thoughts had always been closed to him, whether through her innate Force potential or the self-regimented control during her years in politics, but now her Force presence also appeared as alive as a scalefish in the Dune Sea. For her concealment from Palpatine he was immensely glad, but it would have helped if he could sense her mood even a little.

"There are many possibilities," Anakin replied, wishing he could speak to her without the vocaliser, "but to exert the greatest influence Luke would need to be in the same room."

Luke anticipated the response building in many of those around him. "But I can't just stay away. I'd need to be there, with Lord Vader, to stop him."

"You don't have to go," Han insisted. "Let Vader take care of the ugly scumbag."

Luke shook his head. "We only have one chance at this. Palpatine is powerful. Together, Vader and I can defeat him. Alone, we might not succeed, and _that_ we can't afford."

"And you can't turn into Vader!" Han urged, surprising Anakin with the intensity of his concern for Luke.

"I won't," was Luke's assured reply.

Han continued glowering unhappily as an uncomfortable silence fell. Luke was right; he had to go with Vader to confront Palpatine. But they didn't have to like it.

"So the two things we can't change," Leia summed up, "are that Lord Vader must secure the Death Star as soon as possible and he also needs to be present at the signing ceremony. Would it make sense, then, for the Alliance to question one of the terms of the Treaty and make an official motion to postpone the ceremony for a few days until it's resolved?"

"Palpatine would be suspicious," Rieekan said.

"He'll be suspicious anyway," Leia replied. "But he'd be hard-pressed to sign a Treaty by himself."

"There is that," Rieekan conceded with a grim smile. There was unanimous agreement, and with that, the Alliance leaders returned to more familiar discussions of ship deployment and assault strategies.

* * *

Leia leaned on the doorframe, her senatorial mask firmly in place as she watched Han packing – or what was presumably his closest imitation of packing – the surprisingly large number of things he had managed to clutter the small room with in such a short space of time. So far everything just appeared to be accumulating into a jumbled pile in the middle of the floor.

His voice floated out from the small cabinet where his upper body was currently buried. "Just stay with Luke and you'll be fine. I'd leave Chewie with you but he's been stuck to me like titanium mesh tape ever since I came out of that damned slab, you'd think he thought I'd died or something. Aha!" He emerged from the cabinet flourishing a greasy power core release valve like a trophy. It was soon tossed carelessly onto the growing pile of clothes, tools and various other things she could only consider as junk before he delved under the bed for another lost item.

Leia stared at the seat of his pants for another few seconds as he continued burrowing before she gave up trying to speak to his face. "Why did you volunteer?"

"What?" He backed out from under the bed, sitting on the floor as he looked up at her with his hair in complete disarray. "Come again?"

"Why did you volunteer?" she repeated, her face and voice carefully neutral.

Han looked at her so intensely for a moment that she thought he would answer seriously, but then he cracked a lopsided grin and she knew she'd only receive some flippant remark.

"Two words, sweetheart. _General_, and _thirteen-Executor-50.x-engines_!" he finished in a rush. "Did you really have to ask? It's not every day that His Amiable Dark Lordness offers a personal tour of the _Executor_'s engines, _without_ binders I might add." He ducked back under the bed.

Leia chewed her lip, wanting to say so much and yet unable to voice a single word of it. Mothma had called for an Alliance task force to accompany Vader to secure the Death Star, and Han, of all people, had volunteered to lead it. For reasons she couldn't begin to fathom, all the other leaders had agreed to the appointment and by the end of the strategy meeting Han had been conferred General Solo.

Considering who Vader was, the two of them on Vader's ship, even with Chewie as backup, could not be a good combination. But what could she say? She could hardly tell him the truth. Well, there was a certain truth that she could reveal – if she could bring herself to admit it, that was.

His life eventually won out over her pride. "I don't want you to go."

Han, as much as she could see of him anyway, froze, before he emerged again. He looked at her strangely, as if he wasn't quite sure that he'd heard correctly, before looking away. "I think I should," he said, oddly subdued.

This baffling response only added to his increasingly strange behaviour that had started soon after he'd been rescued on Geonosis. Had the freezing process changed him somehow? She couldn't shake the nagging sense that he seemed to be trying to avoid her.

"Han, what's wrong?"

He threw her a look the likes of which she had never seen from him. Disbelief crossed with pain, thrown in with a glint that seemed to scream, _Isn't it obvious? _And all of that delivered through such a stare as if the very sight of her haunted him. Was it even possible to convey so much in one look? She almost thought she imagined it all, but it struck her that this might be the first clear window she'd had to his true feelings in a long while, perhaps from as far back as when she'd confessed her love for him amidst the carbon vapours on Cloud City.

Whatever his response might have been, it was cut off by the bleep of her comlink. Leia had to fight a sudden desire to crush the offending device for interrupting at such a critical moment before snatching it from her belt.

"Yes?" she snapped. She sensed who it was before Luke's voice came through.

"Leia, do you have a moment?"

"Not just now," she replied, but Han had already given up searching for whatever item he had lost and was stuffing the messy pile in the middle of the floor into the holdall that had been buried underneath it all.

"It can't wait," Luke's voice pressed from the comlink.

"Don't let me hold you up," Han said as he headed for the door. The strain in his voice had nothing to do with the over-spilling bag that he hauled with him.

He almost breezed right past her but his legs paused of their own accord in the doorway beside her. Standing so close to her that they breathed the same air, just for a moment all his bravado and bluster faded away and he gazed deep into her eyes. He leaned towards her, gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead, before abruptly scarpering away.

"Later, Leia. We'll be back before you know it!" He disappeared around the far corner of the long corridor, only for his head to pop back into view just long enough to yell, "And make sure Artoo doesn't make any more changes to my ship!"

She stared at the vacant space his head had just been for long seconds, utterly bewildered by what had just happened, before sighing in resignation and speaking into the comlink again. "Where are you, Luke?"

* * *

Leia was not pleased. In fact, she was livid. She wasn't sure if she was even allowed to feel that way anymore, what with all this Dark Side business, but she briefly permitted herself the luxury since Luke was there to calm her down again.

"I have nothing to say to you," she snapped, eyes flashing as she glared at the deathly mask staring down at her from the other side of the white, sparsely furnished room.

It hadn't been Luke who wanted to speak to her after all. It was Vader, who had not only interrupted what Han might have revealed, but who hadn't even had the courtesy to contact her himself. A voice in the back of her mind pointed out that they all knew she would have ignored any message from Vader, but she quelled it swiftly. He had been given no invitation to address her outside of official Alliance business.

"Leia –" Anakin started.

"No! _You_ don't call me that!" Her anger swelled. It was a continuation of the build up from years of hating Darth Vader but it had gained in potency since her awakening on Geonosis. Right then, it particularly resembled a draagax working itself up into a berserker frenzy, and she was suddenly afraid that she would put on an abrupt growth spurt and transform into the towering monster where she stood.

Even shielded in the Force as she now was, Luke could still read the subtle expressions on her face and he stepped towards her, a silent anchor of support, giving her the conviction she needed to mentally shove her anger away. But there was nothing to take its place and she was left suspended over a void, unarmed for the confrontation.

"Father says you remind him of our mother."

Luke's unexpected words certainly grabbed her attention, if that was his intention. Her reflexive rejection of the term _Father_ warred with the sudden explosion of curiosity. "Our mother?"

Luke smiled, although his eyes were tinted with sadness. "Queen Padmé Amidala."

Her jaw dropped. A moment later she snapped her mouth shut and raised an arched brow. _You can't fool me that easily_, the gesture said.

"It is the truth," came Vader's solemn confirmation.

She continued to study Luke's face for the answer, not willing to trust Vader even if was logical that he would know more about it. The realisation that Luke wasn't pulling her leg was a long time coming.

"Queen Amidala?"

Luke nodded.

"Of Naboo?"

Another nod.

Blindsided, that's how she felt. Ever since learning that she was adopted she had wondered at her biological parents, but Queen Amidala! Leia had studied Amidala's career closely and knew she was venerated as a folk hero on Naboo. Leia herself greatly admired the young Queen and Senator for how she had freed her homeplanet from occupation and united its divided people, and for her unswerving, stalwart defence of democracy in the waning days of the Old Republic. Already one of the most respected political figures in the galaxy by the time of her tragically young death at the end of the Clone Wars, Leia had wondered how different the last twenty years might have been had Amidala survived to campaign through the early years of the Empire. It wasn't until now, with recent revelations and her conversation with Vader in Theed, that she was coming to realise the true extent to which Amidala's death might have affected the political face of the galaxy today.

No, not Amidala. _Padmé_, her mother.

Leia's previous admiration took on a whole new meaning. She, together with Luke, were the guardians of her legacy. Unconsciously, she stood straighter.

Luke saw the change come over her, knew she would be alright. "I'll be just outside," he said softly and let himself out.

With her head high, she turned to Vader with cold, formal civility. "You have one minute, Lord Vader. What is it you wished to say?"

Anakin reached for his helmet, but Leia stopped him.

"No, leave it. I don't wish to see your face." If she felt any guilt over the harsh words, she didn't show it.

Anakin lowered his arms again without argument. He didn't shy away from the sharp pain of her denial – no, he embraced it. He deserved far worse. "Your Highness, I needed to speak to you before leaving for Endor," he started. But as he took in the sight of his daughter standing before him and grappled with the harrowing memories of one particular crime, words utterly failed him.

She waited silently, coldly distant, but finally gave in and prompted him when she had counted to thirty and he had said nothing further. "I am listening." When she counted another thirty and there was still nothing forthcoming, she deemed she had given him his fair minute. "That was almost disappointing, Lord Vader. I'm leaving. I wish you well on your mission to Endor."

She turned to the door, had taken a step, when something stopped her. She couldn't tell if it was a noise or some other sense that made her turn back, but whatever it was, when she cast her eyes over her shoulder at the towering form on the other side of the room, she saw the hand gripping the back of the only chair in the room. The infallible Darth Vader's head was bowed, his stance visibly tense even underneath all the armour.

"I –"

It had been a noise that she had heard after all, the start of a word choked up with emotion. As if her acknowledgement of his feelings made her receptive to more, she was suddenly awash with the overwhelming grief and pain rippling out from him. All the oxygen in the room rapidly seemed to disappear.

"I –"

Her shallow breath left her in the form of a single word. "What?"

Anakin swallowed past the rock in his throat. "What I did to you – what I feel... I can't describe..." He expelled a sharp breath and shook his head. "Words aren't enough..." He turned to her, pinpointing her in a gaze so intense that she could feel it even through the black mask. "I – I'm... If I could turn back time, if I could start over, if it was in my power... I ... There are no words!"

Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. This was no elaborate speech, no artful apology. Only genuine, heart-felt remorse, glaring raw and intense through his broken words.

As if captured in a trance, he stepped slowly towards her, his trembling hand floating towards her face as if drawn there by invisible strings. "You're the very image of your mother. So strong, so brave. The most remarkable, the most beautiful soul. She would have been so proud of you."

The hot pool gathering in her eyes spilled over her lashes and a tear tricked down her cheek. The tip of a gloved finger brushed it away, the touch softer than a feather. They stared at each other, the silence filled with so much hurt, such a yearning to reach out and bridge the gap between them –

Something snapped in Leia. She sprang away from him, jaw and fists clenched tight. What kind of twisted magic was this, where she almost forgot all that he had done? Her voice dripped venom.

"Your crimes are beyond forgiveness. No amount of clever words and emotional ploys will heal the scars you have forged with your darkness and evil." With the blade driven firmly into his heart, she lifted her chin higher and gave it a ruthless twist. "My father is Bail Organa. He was a man of honour, worthy of my respect, and I will forever hold true to his memory."

Anakin's hand lowered slowly to his side. She sensed his changing demeanour even before she saw his stance stiffen and heard his vehement words.

"You and Luke are _everything_, my very reason for living. I will never harm either of you again. I'll do everything in my power, _everything_, to protect you and give you a better galaxy to live in. Whether you accept it or not, Leia, you have my oath!"

For an eternal moment he stared at her, his heart so full of love and pain that he thought it would burst – then he was gone.


	14. Summons from on high

Wow, Leia really caused some mixed reactions in that last scene! – Bravo Leia for not brushing all of his crimes under the carpet simply because he had a change of heart; bad Leia for not accepting his heartfelt apology. I never expected such a diverse split of responses, I've loved reading all your comments and I've had some very interesting discussions with some of you!

Here's the next part. It's short (or at least, it is for me! shortest since ch 1) and to the point. :)

**Disclaimer: **SW is not mine, never has been mine, and I'm sure Threepio could somehow come up with the galaxy's first-ever _negative_ probability of the likelihood of it ever being mine in future.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 14. Summons from on high**

"Some friendly games of Sabacc, a spot of sightseeing around the _Executor_'s guns, a tour of the bridge... And hey! We'll be disguised as Special Field Agents, we'll go spring some surprise inspections. Who knows, we could even _inspect_ their stores and see what we find."

Chewie wailed uncertainly over Han's plans of passing time en route to Endor.

'_I have no idea what she sees in him. He's unruly, uncivilised and utterly disrespectful of his elders_.'

Anakin was still smarting from Leia's fresh denunciation only minutes earlier and Luke glanced with concern at his father stewing in silent exasperation as they waited by the Lambda-class shuttle. When Anakin had returned from the _Executor_ for the strategy meeting, he had snuck away two of these Imperial craft from the convoy he had used to conceal his departure. The second, the _Tydirium_, had been piloted by a droid to Polis Massa and Anakin was leaving it with the Alliance. _Use it if you like_, he'd told Luke with a shrug. And now they lingered by the _Diomede_'s lowered ramp, all but ready to depart, pretending to have some legitimate reason to still be standing there when all the while they were waiting for a certain person who didn't appear at the walkway entrance to the hangar.

'_That's funny_, _I'm sure I heard something similar recently_,' Luke sent, pretending to mull over it. '_About somebody else I know_...'

Anakin turned to him suspiciously. '_You've been speaking to Obi-Wan again, haven't you?_'

Luke affected an air of ignorant surprise. '_Why, would he know anyone who used to be unruly and utterly disrespectful?_'

Anakin huffed but a small smile curled his lips. '_You should remember that his point of view is seriously one-sided_.'

'_Of course_,' Luke replied, '_as any one person's opinion often can be_.'

Anakin eyed the scruffy man who was now arguing with the Wookiee whether the word 'fun' even appeared in the Comprehensive Imperial Glossary for Every Boy in White – _the_ _what?_ – let alone have a stock of Corellian whisky onboard, and remained dubious.

'_Give him time, father. You don't know him as we do_.'

Both of his sensible, intelligent children seemed to have formed firm attachments with Solo; he had to concede the possibility of there being more to the glorified smuggler than first met the eye. Anakin sighed. '_Very well. I will try_.'

Without turning his helmet he peered at the walkway again but there was still no sight of his daughter. Knowing that if they tarried any longer they would miss the rendez-vous with the rest of the Alliance task force, he finally resigned himself to the inevitable.

"Are your preparations complete, General Solo?" he boomed. He didn't need to look to know that Luke was rolling his eyes.

Han froze in mid-sentence and spun towards him with a mocking salute. "Yes, m'lord. All ready, m'lord."

"Good. Then we depart."

Han clapped Luke on the back. He seemed to be about to say something, but hesitated, and eventually just ruffled his hair. "Later, kid," he said, then headed towards the _Diomede_.

"Be careful," Luke called after him.

Han stopped, turned back. They shared a look of silent understanding that communicated all the things they couldn't put into words – their close friendship, concerns for each other's safety, Leia... – with a meaningful nod to Luke, and a last look that didn't quite manage to be entirely aloof at the still-empty walkway, Han disappeared up the ramp.

Luke found himself plucked off the ground by long, hairy arms to the music of a familiar howl. "You take care too, Chewie. And try to keep Han out of trouble."

With more growls that sounded very much like _Of course, of course_, Chewie followed Han into the shuttle.

To all outward appearances Luke and Vader simply stood face to face in silence. They both knew why Mothma had banned Luke from going with them; it had very little to do with preparing their starfighter pilots for battle and everything to do with safeguarding their options just in case the worst happened at Endor.

'_I will return soon. Take care of your sister_.'

'_Always. May the Force be with you, father_.'

'_And may the Force be with you, my son_.'

For just a moment their minds touched. Then with a final glance at the empty walkway, Anakin disappeared into the waiting shuttle.

* * *

"Admiral Ackbar himself will lead the primary Fleet division from Dargul. The secondary division from Arbra will be lead by —" Luke paused dramatically, "_General_ Calrissian."

Mezei whistled. "General, huh? Does that come with special perks like free gambling training?"

Lando's coolly pleased smile descended into a glare. It hadn't been the most profitable two days for him spent confined on the _Falcon_. "Your luck'll run out soon and we'll see who's laughing then," he grumbled.

"How many times have I gotta tell you? I grew up on my winnings from Dejarik. Beginner's luck has nothing to do with it, old man. I mean, _sir_," he quipped with mock solemnity.

"What about us, Commander?" Trann asked, wondering at the outcome of the final strategy meeting following Vader and Solo's departure.

"The two of you are assigned to the primary reserve taskforce. General Madine or Rieekan will dispatch you wherever additional ground support is needed."

"We won't let you down, sir." Trann still felt mightily guilty for shooting the Princess and was determined to make up for it.

Luke nodded kindly. "I know."

The Force suddenly spiked in warning and Luke's head snapped up. He dove into the Force but he couldn't pinpoint the danger, the ripples seemed to originate from various locations in the excavation facility. Just as he rose to his feet, the _Falcon_ was rocked with explosions from outside.

"What the –!" Lando shouted as he grabbed some exposed cables on the wall to steady himself. Mezei was thrown off the curved seat and Trann only just managed to brace himself on the Dejarik table.

Luke alone had managed to maintain balanced on his feet. He stretched out his senses to the disturbance beyond the ship. "Several blasts," he murmured as he felt along with the Force. "Throughout the facility. Seems to have come from outside... Several Kallidahins are injured... None seem to be serious –"

Luke picked up on a streak of warning in the Force that was almost concealed amidst the other threats, and realised instantly that the multiple explosions were merely a ploy to confuse his senses. This was the real target, its siren call persistent and keening. He perceived the danger, the urgency – followed by a familiar presence that simultaneously made his heart miss a beat whilst setting his jaw on edge –

He was nothing more than a dark blur as he shot out of the rec area, followed a beat later by Lando. They almost crashed into Artoo who careened around the curved corridor with Threepio tottering after him as quickly as his awkward legs could manage.

"Oh, master Luke! Master Luke! Artoo says the YT-2400 –"

Luke had already bounded down the ramp and was leaping over the broken debris from the hangar ceiling, out of hearing range but it didn't matter. He already knew. But that didn't prevent him from speeding through the surrounding corridors in a Force-assisted sprint, deftly avoiding the shocked Kallidahins knocked off their feet by the earlier explosions as he summoned his lightsaber into hand and activated the blade.

'_Leia!_'

His mental call went unanswered, as he knew it would be. Even as he stretched out his senses and drew a desolate blank, even as the knowledge that he was too late sank heavily around him, he still threw up one hand and blew the door open with a rush of the Force.

Her room was untouched from when he had left her thanking the Kallidahin for their care only minutes earlier, save for the cloak that trailed a path from the wardrobe to the door as if it had caught on something, or some_one_, on their way out.

Luke peeled off again, clutching at the fading whispers in the Force. Several turns later he flew past Lando emerging from the direction of the _Falcon_.

"What in the galaxy–" Lando skidded to a halt to avoid being skewered by the glowing lightsaber and hurried to follow Luke who had already disappeared down another corridor.

Lando caught up with him seconds later at the entrance to a second, empty hangar bay. Luke's sharp gaze was locked far in the distance, through the open hangar doors amidst the star-speckled black sky, on the curved sublight engine afterburners of a Corellian freighter ship. Lando didn't need the Force to know it was the YT-2400 that the droids had detected, the very same that had been taken on Geonosis. For a moment there was an intense spray of blue-white plasma from her tail, then it was gone, vanishing away in lightspeed.

"Was that...?"

"Mara Jade."

A dreadful feeling settled in Lando's gut. "Where's Leia?"

Luke's eyes glinted. "On that ship."

* * *

Indecisive thoughts hurtled by as if snagged up and sent flying passed the viewport along with the streams of light. The necessary codes had been set in the console earlier when he had almost set upon that course of action, but now he had swung back to indecision and the button simply continued its repetitive alternation of blinking on and off, confirming its readiness. All that was required was for the button to be depressed to activate it. All that was lacking was the conviction to depress it.

Vader was Anakin Skywalker.

That one thought whirled around Boba Fett's mind, pulling him hither and thither.

It should have been straightforward. Fett's life and livelihood depended on revealing underhanded schemes and detecting conflict, and he could see that the Emperor was plotting against Vader as plainly as a hyperspace route signpost. He had already agreed to the job that would aid in Palpatine's schemes, albeit tacitly while still in shock from discovering the connection between Vader and the name of Skywalker, and he was in receipt of a generous down payment. The Emperor's goading had also ensured the added incentive to act precisely in opposition to there being an _understanding_ between him and Vader, and he had no doubt that Palpatine's slip of revealing who Vader was, was no slip at all. It was a precise move, designed to aggravate his hatred of the Jedi, and it had done the trick. He would have happily backed Palpatine and sent Vader hightailing his way to Hell – save for one small detail.

_It may interest you to learn that Skywalker's father had a hand in the death of Mace Windu_.

And therein lay the quandary. Although he only now comprehended Vader's motive in terminating his pursuit of Solo and the rebels on Geonosis – specifically Luke Skywalker, _his son_ – Fett understood enough of Vader to know why the Dark Lord had thrown that snippet of information at him as they deliberated the rebels' fate. Fett had his own code of honour, ensuring that he saw the job through to completion once he had accepted a bounty. In a profession full of swindling back-stabbers, it made him reliable. That, combined with his near-absolute success rate, made him one of the best and most sought-after bounty hunters of his time. No ordinary circumstance would have made Fett surrender his pursuit of Solo, certainly not such a trifling obstacle as a blasted concussion and especially not when that bounty involved Jabba the Hutt, and Vader knew this. So the Dark Lord had compelled Fett into walking away by making the whole business entirely personal. Fett would only get to Solo through Skywalker, but Skywalker's father had helped bring down the Jedi who had murdered the man Fett considered as his own father.

Vader was Anakin Skywalker.

No wonder Vader had known. Anakin Skywalker's involvement in the death of a fellow prominent member of the Jedi Order must have been one of the best kept secrets in the galaxy. Fett hadn't even heard a whiff of it in all his years of investigating what had finally brought down Mace Windu. Fett still didn't know what had transpired exactly but he didn't doubt Vader's claim – in all his dealings with the Dark Lord, Fett had found him to be cunning, brilliant, calculating, merciless, relentless, ruthless and downright murderous, but he was never dishonest.

Fett wanted to destroy Vader for once having been a Jedi and Luke Skywalker for still being one; cooperating with Palpatine would be an easy ride to this goal and he would be handsomely rewarded in the process. But Vader had helped to kill Windu, and with that knowledge came a feeling that had never sat well with Fett – that of being _indebted_. It didn't matter that it wasn't a pre-arranged job, nor, he knew, did avenging Jango Fett have anything to do with it. He still felt as if he _owed_ Vader one for it. It was repulsive.

Outside the viewports of _Slave I_, the streaks of light abruptly drew up into pinpricks of white stars as his ship dropped out of lightspeed. He was right where Palpatine wanted him, stuck way out on a limb in the middle of precisely nowhere, staring at some lush-green moon that was apparently called Endor. But which of the two Siths to aid? Carry out his paid job and help to destroy Vader, or work with Vader and risk Palpatine's wrath should they fail? Or simply walk away and leave them to it?

As the blasted button continued blinking innocently on the console before him, Fett realised there was only one thing he could do. There was only one course of action to nullify the odious sense of obligation to a Jedi. He reached forward and firmly pressed the button.

* * *

The Imperial emblem flashed across every HoloNet channel strictly controlled by the Empire, a whitewash of all broadcast along the entire length of the galaxy. Everywhere, that is, except for one crucial quarter – the Outer and Inner Zuma regions containing the forest moon of Endor, where not a glimpse of it was seen and life continued uninterrupted and unaware. Everywhere else, from Corporate Sector's opulent business headquarters in the uppermost reaches of the Tingel Arm to the opposite end of the Hydian Way past Polis Massa down to Imynusoph, across the breadth of the galaxy from the remote long-range communications base on Esfandia to the watery Mon Calamari homeworld of Dac, from Imperial Center to the extremities of the Corellian Run – across trillions of holoprojectors across the galaxy, the insignia was routed through millions of massive decoders to project from every active holoprojector, be it a ship or household, civilian or military, Imperial or Alliance.

The infamous symbol spun on a vertical axis before shrinking away to reveal the hooded, scarred visage that was known and feared in every corner of the galaxy.

"Loyal citizens of the Empire," Palaptine began. The disturbingly sincere paternal tone ensuing from bloodless lips evoked a sinister image – that of a coiled serpent offering sanctuary in the brace of its venomous fangs.

"It grieves me to address you under such dire circumstances," he began in a voice that reflected every shade of the grief of which he spoke. "But I must be the bearer of grave tidings. At 1400 hours Galactic Standard Time today, the Imperial Palace received a most foreboding communication – the Rebel Alliance has commandeered the Second Death Star in the Chommell sector and is holding the Galactic Empire to ransom."

He voice wavered, as if overcome with the horror of the news he conveyed.

"Following the destruction of the First Death Star by the so-called rebels three years ago, when two million brave Imperial service men and women perished in a most tragic waste of life, construction was commenced on the Second Death Star in top secret locations under my own personal supervision. As with the First Death Star, the Second Death Star was designed for one purpose and one purpose only – for the security and protection of the loyal systems of the Empire and their people. So it is particularly devastating to hear that this battlestation has been hijacked by the very terrorists from whom we had worked so hard to protect you. I immediately dispatched my faithful right hand, Lord Darth Vader, in an effort to regain control of the battlestation. But it is with great regret that I must report the loss of all communication with his flagship the _Executor_, and that the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces is missing in action."

Palpatine's drooping shoulders and anxious tone portrayed all of his supposedly genuine concern.

"As you know, I had been travelling to Naboo to personally sign the Peace Treaty that the Empire has been working so tirelessly to implement with the rebels. I must now distress you further with the news that my transport was attacked in mid-transit and I have been abducted by the Rebel Alliance. I appear before you under guard from aboard the Second Death Star."

The holorecorder panned out to reveal the Emperor seated on an elevated throne, complete with webbed, circular viewport behind. Two armed guards stood at rigid attention on either side of him, garbed in bedraggled, motley combat gear.

The scarred grooves around his white lips deepened as he continued with renewed horror in his voice. "I am faced with a terrible decision. The Rebel Alliance is dictating new terms of the Treaty, making unreasonable demands that threaten the very future of the Empire. But should I fail to comply with these terms, the rebels will use the immense firepower of this Death Star to obliterate my homeplanet of Naboo."

Palpatine's hooded face was briefly replaced with the image of a half-formed Death Star, its skeletal curves reaching around like a hand encasing a sphere. The circular primary superlaser dish was the central focus of the completed part of the station, menacingly prominent before the aqua-green planet suspended in the distance.

"I have also been threatened with Naboo's destruction should any attempt be made to _rescue_ me. The rebels have agreed to an attendance of three Star Destroyers to prevent any rash attempts being made to reach me by fervently loyal citizens, and these now flank the Death Star. Time is of the essence," he said with deliberate emphasis to rule out any possible misunderstanding. "There are _six hours_ to comply with the new terms."

A hint of dark glee now escaped his magnanimous persona and crept into his sickly, caressing voice. "To ensure compliance, I have been joined aboard the Death Star by one of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance – the last surviving member of the Royal House of Alderaan, Princess Leia Organa."

He gave a momentous pause.

"I see only one way to resolve this conflict and avoid the tragic loss of an entire world and its people. One member of the Rebel Alliance alone holds the power to see reason and negotiate for true peace." He practically spat, "Master _Jedi_, Luke Skywalker."

And with that, Palpatine's benevolent facade vanished. Utterly uncompromising, he declared, "To all citizens of the Empire, I give my solemn vow. This pointless fighting that has blighted our peace for too many years has reached its end. It is time to restore the Galactic Empire to _absolute_ order and security."

Even the deep shadows of his hood couldn't conceal the blaze of his yellow eyes. Across the millions of s-threads and hundreds of lightyears, his piercing gaze sought the one he summoned.

"Come to the Death Star, Jedi Skywalker. The peace of the galaxy, and the lives of billions, rest in your hands."


	15. Restoring the Rule of Two

Hah, you thought I'd given up on this and left you in peace, hadn't you? Nope, no such luck! ;-P

I'm back with yet another of my seriously sporadic updates. In an ideal world I'd be writing loads and updating weekly, or at least regularly, but sadly work and time doesn't allow for that. So it's this way or nothing at all I'm afraid. I'm doing my best, so bear with me and no throwing of rotten eggs please! :)

I also want to say _Thank You!_ to all the kind people who have taken the time to review and tell me what you think. I haven't been able to get back to many of you (the last few months have been unbelievably hectic!) but I've read each and every one and they've been appreciated more than you can know.

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** SW = GL.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 15. Restoring the Rule of Two **

Mass panic gripped the people of Naboo.

Within seconds of the Emperor's unprecedented holovised address, surging waves of terrified gungans, humans and numerous minority species were rushing to find any means of escaping the planet – only to find their way barred. Palpatine had flooded in hundreds of legions of clone stormtroopers in anticipation prior to his address, and spaceports had been shut down, air and space traffic control in all major cities were denying any passage out of the planet's airspace, and even the majority of privately owned docking bays had been blocked off by stormtroopers.

Those fortunate enough to get a ship off the ground and into the upper atmosphere found themselves facing a blockade of Star Destroyers and were bullied back to the surface by the swarm of TIE fighters screaming about overhead. Transport ships carrying whole families were shot down when in their panic they failed to return to ground. Hundreds of people were trampled underfoot by stampeding crowds or crushed to death as they were caught between the press of people and walls of stormtroopers forcing them back.

Communication lines within, into and out of the planet were jammed as billions of people attempted to contact all and sunder to bid their farewells. Temples were swamped by the faithful and non-followers alike, all desperate for a blessing before facing whatever might greet them after death. Wherever they could force their way through the packed streets, people gathered with their nearest and dearest to await their fate together. A minority of miscreants and deviants went on a crime spree, believing that they would suffer no retribution.

Queen Kylantha's call for calm had little effect on the general population. Rather, it was a personal message by the more popular Pooja Naberrie, the last Senator of the Chommell Sector, that managed to reduce the outright panic to simple terror. She called on the Nabooian people to remember the courage shown by the beloved Padmé Amidala, and to emulate her strength and dignity in the face of their greatest trial.

Princess Leia was a friend and former colleague from the final days of the Senate, and Pooja knew that the Rebel Alliance could not be responsible for such a grotesque violation of the most fundamental right of all sentient beings. Her simple petition was to the Galactic Empire, delivered with fierce, unyielding zeal.

"We, of the Gungans and the Naboo, have a right to life. I call on Emperor Palpatine to remember his humanity. Remember, your Majesty, or you _will be reminded_."

* * *

Palpatine eased back in his throne and allowed himself a moment of pleased satisfaction.

He was perfectly aware that not everyone would buy his every word, but it mattered none. The official line had been delivered and the machinations were in place. There was no glimpse of his traitorous apprentice; the bounty hunter must be performing his job well and keeping Vader well occupied in Endor, where he would have no idea of the events transpiring in the rest of the galaxy. Everything was proceeding according to his design.

"You may rid yourselves of those clothes," he ordered, waving dismissively. The four guards who had dressed in grubby combat gear for the purpose of the holorecording saluted sharply and marched away, passing by their colleagues in full Red Guard regalia on their way out.

Palpatine rose slowly from the throne and ambled across to the floating gurney where Princess Leia lay, still unconscious from the drug administered by Mara Jade.

Jade herself was standing beside the gurney and dropped to her knee at his approach. He paid her no heed.

He eyed the Princess's tidy coil of brown hair in disgust, being reminded of a certain troublesome Senator with similar hair, but the recollection soon brought a sneer to his face. Amidala had proven most useful in the end, ensuring that her husband was driven firmly down the Dark path and into his hands. Now this Princess would also serve to propel the younger Skywalker to descend in his father's bootsteps. Mara Jade had made a most convenient observation in Skywalker's reaction to the Princess's injury. Whereas the ultimate key to Anakin's downfall had been Amidala, it appeared that the younger Skywalker had _two_ such delightful weaknesses for Palpatine to manipulate – his father and Princess Leia.

Palpatine caressed the Dark Side, basking in its deathly whispers. Luke Skywalker was younger and whole, he would be a powerful Sith, a far more deserving apprentice than the debilitated Darth Vader. It wasn't long now before the young man would begin his journey to the Dark Side, Sidious could _feel_ the time drawing close. He beheld the image of his new apprentice and experienced a rare buzz of excitement brimming in his black veins.

"Come to me, Skywalker. You, like your father, are now... mine!"

A flutter in the Force had his attention zeroing in on the Princess. The quiver was only faint, but even a trace of the distinctive energy that reminded him of the fallen Jedi was impossible to mistake for Darth Sidious. His yellow eyes narrowed as he simply looked at her for a moment, trying to gauge this subconscious reaction of fear at his words. He reached out to brush her mind –

_Shielding_? Why would she be shielded?

And all at once, he saw it. Her likeness to Amidala, in her physical features, misguided ideologies and thorny tenacity in the Senate, the young Skywalker's frantic concern over her, and now this flicker in the Force so reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker –

His cackling laughter echoed through the throne room.

* * *

When his comlink had alerted him of an urgent message waiting for him, Piett hadn't expected to walk into his commander's private holochamber to be greeted by Luke Skywalker. Despite his insistence to Grand Moff Kaine earlier to the contrary, there _were_ times when he was taken by surprise – and it seemed to be an increasing occurrence of late. A small part of him still wondered if this rebel pilot and Jedi whom Lord Vader had been hunting relentlessly for the better part of four years could really be his commander's son, and yet here he was, Skywalker's calm face and simple robes lip up in monochrome blue, in the private holochamber of Lord Vader's inner sanctum that even the most senior officers of the _Executor_ dared not disturb. Piett himself would never have set foot here had it not been for the message's specific directions.

Skywalker's holographic form inclined his head politely. "Admiral Piett, thank you for coming so quickly. I apologise for the abrupt intrusion."

Piett was familiar with the endless rules and protocols on how to greet Imperial dignitaries and their families depending on their rank and influence, but nothing dictated the proper form of address to the son of Darth Vader. Realising that he was still standing there in wide-eyed shock, he collected himself and settled on the safest option. He returned a formal bow. "Master Jedi, it's no intrusion at all. I am honoured to meet you."

"Please, just call me Luke," Skywalker corrected, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Or Commander, if you prefer. But the honour is all mine. I have heard of your invaluable assistance from my father and I can't thank you enough."

_Father_. Even more so than Lord Vader claiming Skywalker as his son, nothing hammered home their kinship than hearing the young man refer to his commander in the same way that Piett was called by his own daughters.

"There's no need to thank me," he hurried to reassure. "I'm glad that Lord Vader gave me the opportunity. After all my years of service, it's a welcome change to finally have a goal I can share."

Skywalker's bright eyes regarded him closely. Despite the stark difference between the young man's unassuming manner and Lord Vader's dominant presence, Piett was left with the distinct impression that Skywalker possessed the same powers to read his very soul. Hologram or not, mask or not, it felt very much like he was addressing Lord Vader himself and Piett's mouth suddenly went dry.

What was decidedly _un_like speaking to Lord Vader, however, was the small smile that Skywalker gave him. "We appreciate it all the same," the young man said, presumably having satisfied himself of Piett's sincerity. Skywalker's expression quickly turned serious. "I must admit, Admiral, I'm relieved to see you well. We were concerned for the _Executor_'s safety."

"Then you did see the Emperor's address?" Piett confirmed. The Jedi's calm demeanour had been starting to make him think otherwise.

Skywalker's grim frown was his answer.

"We wouldn't have seen the broadcast had it not been for Boba Fett," Piett supplied.

"Boba Fett?" Skywalker repeated with some surprise.

"I never thought I would live to see the day when I'd be grateful to the bounty hunter. We had safely boarded the Alliance task force and were set to leave the Kinyen system, when Fett contacted Lord Vader and advised us to stay put. He said we should keep an eye on the HoloNet, that there would be something that Lord Vader would be very interested to see."

"And my father complied? Just like that?"

Piett gave a humourless smile. "I believe he was convinced when he heard that the Emperor had specifically arranged for the address not to reach the Outer and Inner Zuma Regions."

"Endor," Skywalker said, understanding the significance. By the time news had reached the _Executor_ and they turned back, Palpatine's schemes would have run their course. "Did Fett mention how he came to know this?"

"He admitted to having been employed by the Emperor himself to hire allies and stage a so-called 'rebel attack' on an empty shell of a battlestation that was posing as the Death Star, to impede the _Executor_ at Endor for as long as possible." Piett's face darkened. "The Emperor's address was very revealing."

"Naboo _mustn't_ suffer the same fate as Alderaan," Skywalker avowed. His jaw twitched. "And we will rescue Leia."

Somehow, even with such dire prospects, Skywalker's face cleared as if he'd drawn a mask of calm over it. "Could you inform my father that I need to speak with him?"

"He didn't contact you?" Piett asked in surprise. He caught himself and hurried to clarify. "Lord Vader tasked me with another assignment and departed the _Executor_. I'm sure he said he would contact you en route."

A full second's pause was the only indication of Skywalker's disquiet over this news. Those bright eyes gained a sharp edge but he still spoke with that same, level calm – one that Piett was beginning to suspect was being imposed through great effort rather than any apathy.

"Where did my father go, Admiral?"

* * *

Anakin barely registered the stars streaming past the viewport of his personal shuttle. He simmered in a flurry of the Force, frenetic but controlled, the Light and Dark swirling in response to his intense emotions.

Sidious had his daughter!

It was the worst insult. Worse than enslaving him, worse than the years of punishments on bended knee. There was only one path open to him – he would rescue Leia, and once she was out of harm's way he would make absolutely sure that Sidious could not pose any harm to his children ever again. It was not a matter of forgiveness or mercy. There was no hope of redemption for Sidious, not a single spark to light the darkness.

_He is too dangerous to be left alive!_

Anakin shut his eyes against those words haunting him from the depths of his memories, from a time before the name 'Darth Vader' had been dredged from the Dark Side. Master Windu had been right all along. If only Anakin had listened, if only Palpatine had been killed in the Chancellor's office –

Anakin snapped his eyes open. It was time for action, not wishful thinking. Leia needed him, and whether she welcomed his help or not, she was about to get it.

_Mace Windu. Was it true?_

They had never bothered with greetings but even for Boba Fett it had been an abrupt opening question. Anakin had known instantly that the bounty hunter was referring to their brief exchange on Geonosis and Anakin had reluctantly confirmed it. After several moments of simply glaring at him, and just when Anakin had been about to question Fett's strange behaviour, the bounty hunter had pointed him to the HoloNet. Not that he was any clearer as to the motivation behind Fett's tipoff but Anakin wasn't about to question it. The prospect of still being in the dark left him cold.

The Force urged him to hurry. If Palpatine was to discover that Leia was his daughter, the danger to her didn't bear thinking about.

Would he ever see his son again?, Anakin wondered wistfully. Luke, who had listened to his story, who had forgiven him whole-heartedly, who had redeemed him from the Dark Side... Surely Luke would have tried to contact him by now and discovered that his father was no longer aboard the _Executor_. Anakin prayed that the boy would understand. Even knowing that he had a better chance of saving Leia with Luke's help, he couldn't bring himself to call his son to the Death Star. To improve the chances of saving one child was one thing, but to actively endanger his other child in the process – as a father, it was nothing short of impossible.

The cockpit door hissed open, snapping Anakin out of his ruminations. In an instant he was challenging the intruder, his blood-red lightsaber at the man's neck –

"_Solo?_"

Han froze on the spot, unable to tear his eyes from the deadly blade humming just below his chin.

Anakin growled to himself as he jerked the lightsaber away and killed the blade. He must have been well and truly lost in his thoughts not to have noticed that he was not alone aboard the ship. Now that he paid more attention he realised that not only was the Wookie hovering behind Solo, but the rest of the Alliance task force that they had picked up in the Kinyen system was in the passenger cabin. He cursed himself for his blindness.

Han might have been genuinely fearful for his own life for a moment but it didn't take long for his bluster to return. "Hey, watch what you're doing with that thing, you almost did some serious damage!"

Anakin's own temper was running high. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Han threw his arm out in what he reckoned was the rough direction of Naboo. "Going to rescue Leia, of course." Uncertainty suddenly clouded over his face. "That _is_ where you're going, isn't it?"

Anakin's brows climbed up towards his hairline in disbelief. "_You _are going to rescue the Princess?"

Chewie loped into the cockpit. He slid past Han and folded himself into the co-pilot's seat, ignoring them both.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't like we could miss your little chat with Boba Fett. You'd stuffed us in the next room in your quarters, remember?" Han wasn't after an answer and he quickly reverted to his more important question. "So are you going to Naboo or not? 'Cos if you're not, you're gonna have to deposit us somewhere we can catch another ship pretty quick."

"Yes, but –" Anakin shook his head. "_You_ would risk your own life to storm the Death Star and save the Princess from Palpatine?"

"That pretty much sums it up, yeah," Han confirmed cheerfully.

"The Alliance would be trying to destroy the Death Star," Anakin pressed, convinced that Solo wouldn't have thought that far ahead. "They won't wait for you to be clear."

Han surprised him with a cocky grin. "Great! Poor odds – happens to be our speciality."

"Palpatine is powerful. You'd be marching straight into hell."

"Been there once or twice," Han said casually.

Anakin was still in a state of disbelief. "Why?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Han countered, not wanting to reveal anything personal to the overgrown cyborg – assuming, of course, that there was anything human about him at all.

Anakin clutched for some credible explanation. "The galaxy needs her," he managed to say. Yes, that was perfectly reasonable. "She is crucial for restoration after Palpatine's demise. Why would _you _risk everything to save her?" he threw back.

"Geonosis," Han replied lightly. "I owe her one." It wasn't the real motivator but it wasn't untrue either. He wasn't tempted to learn how Vader handled being fed outright lies.

Right at that moment, Anakin couldn't have cared less. He was too busy being utterly amazed, having espied a complete stranger lurking behind the scruffy appearance, jutting jaw and blasé attitude. It was as the saying went – actions speak louder than words – and they were certainly shouting at him now. A far cry from the self-serving smuggler Anakin had always thought him to be, it suddenly struck him that he didn't know this man at all. It remained to be seen whether Solo followed through on this honourable objective, but right then and there, Anakin couldn't fault the man's loyalty. Perhaps his son was right after all.

The far corners of Anakin's lips edged upwards. "We'll be arriving in the Chommell sector shortly. I trust you can take us in, General?"

"Yeah, sure," Han drawled. "We've got it covered."

With a nod, Anakin departed in search of the only quiet corner left on the small ship that had suddenly become rather overcrowded, grateful for the first time in his life for the hyperbaric chamber he'd had installed on his personal shuttle.

As soon as the door shut off the hiss of that infernal respirator, Han practically fell into the pilot's seat. "Thanks for watching my back there, pal," he threw sarcastically, more than a little wounded that he'd had to fend off Vader by himself.

Chewie's reply was perfectly unconcerned – _he wouldn't have done anything_.

Han threw a disbelieving glance at the Wookiee. "Are you blind? He _did_ do something, he almost chopped this gorgeous head off my shoulders!"

_We surprised him, that's all_, Chewie bayed back.

"_We_ surprised _him_?" Han echoed, increasingly flabbergasted at the rubbish Chewie was spewing. "Maybe we should've got your head checked out on Polis Massa, you're very trusting of Vader all of a sudden." He shook his head and muttered, "You and Luke both."

_This cockpit's giving me shoulder cramps. Didn't they realise that not everyone's vertically challenged?_

So that was the end of that conversation, by the looks of things. Han knew that when Chewie decided to seal his lips on a subject there was more chance of beating the furry oaf at arm wrestling than squeezing out any more information until the Wookiee felt good and ready.

Han sighed in resignation. "No I don't think the Empire had Wookiees in mind when they designed her, Chewie."

* * *

Mara Jade jabbed the needle none too gently into the pulsing vein, but the unconscious Princess didn't even wince. She drew a small vial of blood before withdrawing the needle.

"Deliver it to the medics," the Emperor snapped impatiently as she swiped a coagulating swab over the puncture and tugged the sleeve back down.

"Keep the sample and results _completely_ secure, and do _not_ keep me waiting."

"Yes, master." Mara bowed and hurried away from the throne room.

* * *

The first thing she registered was the smell. Stale and artificial, with a hint of something putrid that clung to the back of her throat, making her want to gag. She suppressed the reflex out of habit, a regimented control garnered over her entire life to demonstrate poise and refinement at all times.

And then came the sticky, malevolent darkness. It crowded her from all sides, a glutinous murk that left a trail of toxic sludge as it slithered over her skin and pressed on her mind, leaving her shuddering in revulsion.

"At last, she awakens."

There was no mistaking that gravelly voice. A perfect complement to the sickly darkness, it clawed down her spine and chilled her to the bone.

Gathering as much courage and grace as she could like a protective shield, Leia sat herself up and turned regally towards the voice. There was the Emperor, draped in his customary plain dark robes with his ghostly white hands resting on the arms of the throne. His scarred, white face almost glowed from the shadows of his hood. The last time she had seen him in person had been in the crowded Senate arena. Here, in the privacy of what was clearly one of his throne rooms, there was no sign of the magnanimous public façade. Those yellow eyes from Luke's Force vision leapt out at her, regarding her with predatory greed.

She was a mere ten paces from the Sith Master upon his throne – a rush of fear left an excess dose of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Fear not, Princess. You will soon be reborn, stronger and wiser."

He couldn't mean...? She hurriedly checked her mental shields as Luke had taught her. They were still intact, with no signs of Palpatine having slipped past. That was a small measure of relief at least.

She bought herself a precious few seconds to collect herself as she swung her legs off the gurney and carefully planted her feet. The last thing she remembered was a sharp prick on her neck before the world had gone dark.

"Leave us," he snapped as Leia righted herself.

The Red Guards fanned about the throne room silently slipped away. The sense of emptiness, of deathliness, in the dim room increased. Somehow, knowing that the two of them were alone was much more sinister than if there were another ten elite guards to fight.

There was only one way to respond to such a threat. Leia set her jaw.

"Emperor Palpatine," she greeted with a defiant edge in her voice. "I hadn't expected you to make such a grave mistake. When the galaxy learns that you have resorted to kidnapping and threatening a member of the Royal House of Alderaan –"

"On the contrary, Princess," Palpatine interrupted pleasantly, "the galaxy believes that _you_ have abducted _me_. They are united in their outrage against the Rebel Alliance."

"That's absurd. Why would I abduct you and hold you aboard an Imperial vessel?"

"Come, see for yourself." A pale hand waved at the webbed window behind him.

Something was very wrong here. Palpatine looked too exceedingly pleased with himself. He either had something dire hidden up his sleeve or he was a fool – unfortunately for her, he was no fool. Unable to refuse, she warily edged around the throne.

She realised there was nothing hidden up his sleeves. It was right there, before her very eyes, floating some distance away and yet still close enough to dominate the viewport –

Naboo.

Dread thundered through her.

Palpatine's eerily congenial voice sounded behind her. "Lord Vader was seeking the Death Star on behalf of the rebellion, wasn't he?"

She kept her back turned, didn't trust herself to speak.

"I must congratulate you," he continued leisurely, "for finding it first."

Now she did turn. Her gaze landed on him, registered his twisted satisfaction before flickering around the throne room. "The Death Star?"

The scars on his face deepened as he grinned. "Welcome aboard, Princess Leia."

* * *

Gunships, star cruisers, battleships, frigates and bombers of all descriptions, including Mon Calamari, Alderaanian, Corellian, Sullustan and Kesselian. Lando guided the _Millennium Falcon_ in a smooth arc around the scores of assembled ships, keeping a wide birth of the numerous starfighters zigzagging in between them. To think that this was only the secondary division, and all largely thanks to Vader... Lando whistled.

His co-pilot Nien Nunb, the Sullastan smuggler whom Lando had befriend in the past, peeled off in his rolling speech – _Yeah, so it's impressive. Just don't forget who has the Death Star_.

Lando was undeterred. Partly to himself, he reassured, "We brought it down once before, we can do it again." The Battle of Yavin was before his time but he still spoke in terms of 'we'. The Empire hadn't been good for business and for the time being he associated himself as part of the Alliance. Besides, being a General was bound to have a certain appeal with the ladies.

He checked the computer and flicked the comm unit. "Admiral, we're in position. All fighters accounted for."

"Acknowledged, General Calrissian," came Ackbar's response from his own command position. "The primary fleet is assembled in Dargul. We are moving into attack formation and will proceed with the countdown."

"Are you sure about his?" Lando couldn't help asking one last time.

"High Command agreed, General. Commander Skywalker also concurred. We cannot delay. Hold position in Arbra and await my signal."

"Copy that, Admiral," Lando confirmed before switching off the comm.

He sighed and shook his head. "I sure hope Luke knows what he's doing."

* * *

"Any bets on where we are?" Mezei muttered aside to his friend, eyeing the General seated up in front before glancing uneasily around the passenger cabin of the shuttle _Tydirium_.

Madine had not been the least pleased when, only minutes after he had rendez-vous'ed with the Imperial shuttle, Skywalker had suddenly announced an unscheduled detour. Not only had the Commander failed to mention such an excursion during the Alliance's rushed reorganisation following the Emperor's holomessage, but other than stating that he needed to 'pick something up', he had since refused to divulge where or what or why. And worse, he had bundled them all in the passenger cabin to conceal their whereabouts, with Artoo refusing them entry into the cockpit.

"Wouldn't even know where to start," Trann replied equally quietly, absent-mindedly flicking the cover flap of the in-cabin temperature control back and forth. "So much turbulence when we were landing might narrow it down some, but we could be anywhere. And I didn't ask."

In front of them, Madine maintained a stony silence. If he heard them, he gave no indication.

"I know what you mean, I didn't either. I couldn't..." Still with his head resting on the backrest, Mezei shook his head. "It's not normal, I tell you. He must be peeved but he doesn't look it. He's almost like his usual self, as if it's just another ordinary day in the rebellion."

"I reckon it's his Jedi powers," Trann volunteered.

"'Cors it's his Jedi powers!" Mezei replied in a hushed whisper. "I only said it's not normal."

They fell silent again. The shuttle's engines hummed faintly, the only indication of life outside the passenger cabin they'd been locked into.

After a while Trann glanced up as a thought occurred to him. "Actually we're lucky that he is."

Mezei had already forgotten what they'd been talking about. "What?"

"You saw him on Geonosis, can you imagine if he was freakishly angry now instead of freakishly calm?"

A beep and a hiss of depressurising air were the only warnings they had before the ramp slid open. They were hit by a wall of damp air thick with the scent of vegetation, and managed to catch a glimpse of some marshy ground outside the ship before their view was blocked by a large, green, metal container. It was roughly cube-shaped, about as high as from their knees to their shoulders, hovering on repulsors as Luke guided it into the ship. The ramp closed behind him seemingly of its own accord.

Madine leapt to his feet. "Commander Skywalker, explain yourself!"

"Trann, can you secure this between those seats?" Luke asked as if oblivious to the General's ire.

"Yes, sir." Trann hopped up and scooted it towards the back of the cabin. "What is it?"

"Is it a bomb?" Mezei guessed. It looked like a secure military weapons case.

Luke smiled faintly. "You could say that. But don't worry, it won't go off if you don't aggravate it."

Madine deliberately stepped in front of Luke, barring his way. "Skywalker, this is an order. You will explain yourself at once or I'll be forced to court-martial you for insubordination!"

Mezei suddenly found himself very eager to help Trann. Heads down, they busied themselves with securing the cargo with infinite care as they watched the confrontation out of the corner of their eyes.

Luke turned to the red-faced General with perfect composure. "I appreciate your concern, General, but you understand that I wouldn't allow anything to jeopardise our chances of saving Leia or Naboo?"

"Yes, that's perfectly understood," Madine replied irritably. "Nobody's questioning that. But –"

"Then you'll have to trust me."

Madine's jaw opened and closed several times in astonishment. Skywalker's voice and demeanour were very soothing, and eventually the General's brow settled in unhappy resignation.

"Don't make me regret this, Commander. Jedi or not, you'll bear the responsibility if you endanger our mission."

Skywalker's reply was as hard as steel. "I'm well aware, sir." Without waiting to be dismissed he stepped around Madine and headed towards the cockpit, the door that Madine had tried and failed to pry open releasing easily at a wave of his hand.

"Artoo, are we set?"

The door closed on the droid's responding trill of bleeps, leaving Madine glaring after him.

"You know, he's alright, sir."

Madine and Mezei both glanced in surprise at the quiet words from Trann. It took Madine a few seconds but he eventually got the message. _He's not the enemy_. A touch of regret made him glance once more at the closed door, before he looked back at the young Corellian. There was a head on those slight shoulders, Madine acknowledged. Perhaps it was shooting the Princess that had made him wake up and take stock. His lanky friend, on the other hand, was just as happy-go-lucky as when he'd sent them to Geonosis.

"Get some rest," Madine told them gruffly.

"Yes, sir," Mezei replied cheerfully and scooted down in his seat. He was always up for a kip.

With a rather more sombre air, Trann returned his attention to the loose control flap.

* * *

Leia's breath hitched. The Death Star was orbiting Naboo, with the Emperor on board! Alderaan flashed into mind, the threat to Naboo screamed out at her –

The Emperor sat, seemingly helplessly, on the throne. She was only a few steps away. Her weapons had been removed but she still had her hands. Could she reach him? She saw the white flesh of his neck, just a small glimpse revealed in the V of his cowl but enough to locate his windpipe, take aim –

Through lidded eyes, Palpatine followed her every flickering glance. "You feel it, don't you?" came his contented observation.

She started. What had come over her? Had she really been about to strangle Palpatine? But of course, what wouldn't she do to prevent a repeat of such terrible destruction –!

"The Dark Side is there for the taking. You need only to embrace it."

The Dark Side? What did that have anything to do with stopping Palpatine? She felt the answer almost as soon as she'd asked it. His malignant energy continued to slither around her, open and available, beckoning and potent. Was that what she had been tapping into? Was it influencing her thoughts?

Leia took a physical step away from him. "The Force is nothing to do with me," she insisted, desperate for a reprieve, wanting to be sure that her thoughts were her own. "You mistake me for Luke."

"Oh yes, the boy. He will be here soon." Perceiving her fear for the young Jedi's safety, his smile broadened. "Your father was wise to hide you from me."

Her pulse jackknifed. Did he know? Which father did he mean? She could hardly ask; it would only alert him if he was in ignorance.

"It is very simple," Palpatine informed her, his tone disturbingly sympathetic. "Use the Dark Side, destroy me, and you will save Naboo."

Steadying herself against the constant assault of his dark energy, struggling to discern her own thoughts amidst his goading, Leia had never felt so confused. The fate of Naboo clamoured out to her, but the distinction between right and wrong that was usually so clear to her was clouded from view.

Was this how Vader had envisaged Palpatine turning Luke to the Dark Side? She had never imagined how much of an effect a few words and the Dark Force could have on her. The longer she stayed, the more she feared she might succumb.

She sought escape. There were two sets of stairs leading down from the dais, an empty stretch of polished floor, then a bridge leading to an elevator tower that rose up from an immense, open shaft. From the hollow hum resonating from it she guessed that it dropped all the way to the reactor core at the heart of the battlestation. If she could only reach that elevator –

"You are only here as my guest, Princess," Palpatine said. "You are perfectly free to leave if that is your wish."

There it was again, words balanced on a knife-edge, designed only to bewilder her. "I don't believe you," she said outright. They were long past the time for diplomacy.

"Nobody will stop you," he assured her. Then he grinned. "There is just one consequence."

Palpatine raised a hand, indicating the aqua-green planet suspended behind him.

* * *

The shield operator stared avidly as the three Star Destroyers crept their way across the screen in formation. It was identical in every way to the ninety-nine other slow-motion passes they had already made but his eyes tracked their pedestrian progress as if it was the most fascinating thing in the galaxy. With the Supreme Ruler himself onboard the battlestation, nobody was slacking.

A new blip suddenly appeared on the operator's scopes. The view-screen informed him that it was a _Lambda_-class shuttle that had dropped out of hyperspace and was on direct course for the Death Star. He watched it nervously, praying that it wouldn't arrive in his designated section of space and increase his margin for error...

No such luck. His flashing monitor notified him that communication from the shuttle was feeding into his headset.

"Uh... Command station, this is ST, uh... ST 321." – The shield operator frowned. Who was this clown? – "Code Clearance Blue. Uh... Deactivate the security shield for docking in primary bay 1."

Unfamiliar with the comm unit designation, the operator would have ordered the incompetent fool shot down immediately – but the nonchalant demand to dock in the hangar that was being held in a state of perpetual readiness for none other than the Emperor himself gave him pause.

He stuck to standard operating procedures. "Deflector shield deactivation and docking clearance will proceed when we have confirmation of your code transmission. Stand by."

The computer registered and approved the ranking codes in a matter of moments. The operator took one look at the readout and almost suffered a cardiac arrest. "Sir!" he called to his superior.

The control officer stepped over, glanced at the screen, and blanched. "Clear it immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" the operator confirmed before relaying the clearance into his comlink.

The officer had already turned urgently to his assistant. "Inform the commander that Lord Vader's shuttle has arrived."

* * *

"They can handle it!" Han insisted.

"We can handle it," X2 confirmed, the sole collected voice in the heated debate. Or at least, one side was heated. The other side just rumbled like a booming cannon.

"_They_ are nine. The Death Star has entire _legions_ at its disposal."

"And they'll fit right in! Otherwise what's the point of all this?" Han demanded, spreading his arms wide to indicate his entire self. Fitted out in the uncomfortably smart, black gear of Imperial special ops, the rebel strike team looked halfway decent. Anakin was sorely tempted to treat them all to a one-time-only offer of a haircut with his lightsaber, but he didn't have the time to argue. X2, who had been appointed second in command of the small squad, and the other eight rebel soldiers looked from Vader to Han, not sure which was more amazing – that Solo was arguing with Vader or that nobody was choking yet.

"It is perfectly possible that someone would see through the disguise," Anakin reasoned, eyeing their long hair peeking out from under their helmets.

"Exactly, and with Chewie standing out a mile that becomes even _more_ likely, so they should go without us!"

"My special agents can be any species, Solo. And if they _are_ detected, you and the Wookiee being present would greatly improve their chances!"

Han glowered back at Vader, not giving an inch.

Anakin huffed in frustration. Didn't Solo understand? "If we cannot commandeer this battlestation, either Palpatine will destroy Naboo or the Alliance will destroy the Death Star. _With the Princess on board_. Is that what you want?"

"The Imps are generating a deflector shield from inside, rebel ships are hardly likely to get through."

Anakin tilted his helmet. "And where will that leave Naboo?"

Han was clearly torn. Of course they couldn't just leave Naboo to be blown into space dust, but he also had a desperate, unshakable need to go after Leia.

They really didn't have time for this; the Force was practically tugging Anakin out of the shuttle. Heaving a mighty sigh, he settled on a compromise. "If you will insist on fighting the Emperor, go and take over the Command Sector first, _then_ come and assist me." He leaned into Solo's face. "Deal?"

* * *

Already playing host to the Supreme Galactic Ruler didn't make it any less terrifying to now be personally welcoming the Dark Lord. Jerjerrod had no idea what he had done to 'deserve' two such distinguished visits in the space of one short day. Secretly, he hoped that he wouldn't be quite so fortunate in the future.

He marched smartly down the assembled rows of stormtroopers towards Lord Vader's personal shuttle, in no small part relieved to have been able to summon a platoon to be in attendance when the majority of troops were on extra guard detail. Jerjerrod was under no illusions that his position as commander of the Empire's most powerful weapon safeguarded him in any way if he should take but one wrong step, and causing offense with a poor reception was hardly likely to put him in Lord Vader's good graces.

The Dark Lord seemed to take an age emerging from the shuttle. Jerjerrod stood at attention, not daring to relax his stance. As the seconds passed into minutes he began to fret. He'd rushed out here as soon as he'd received word of the distinguished arrival without even pausing to alert the Emperor, but he became increasingly panicked that he ought to have taken the time to do so. According to the Emperor, Lord Vader ought to have been engaged elsewhere as part of the same plot to ensnare the Alliance, functioning freely under the MIA cover story. What if there had there been some unforeseen glitch in the plan?

At length, the shuttle finally released a great hiss of air and the exit ramp gaped open. The mechanical breathing resonated from the dark interior, cutting through the tension in the hangar, before the armoured Dark Lord descended.

Jerjerrod bowed his head. "Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure, we are honoured by your presence."

Vader didn't respond immediately; the deathly black mask regarded him and Jerjerrod visibly shivered as an icy touch ran through him. He felt as if he had just been _scanned_ from head to toe and right through his very thoughts.

"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander," Vader finally replied. "I come only to attend the Emperor."

Jerjerrod almost sighed in relief. At least the two heavies in the same place would be easier to keep track of. "I will alert his Majesty at once, my lord."

A great, black-gloved hand waved him off. "A redundant use of time. See to my agent, he has my orders. Ensure that he has your every assistance," Vader ordered with a threatening finger in his face, "_Commander_."

"Ye-yes, my lord, of course." Jerjerrod bowed again as Vader marched away, his cape billowing in his wake.

Jerjerrod glanced around, wondering what agent the Dark Lord had meant exactly. That was when he caught sight of the small group clustered around the foot of the ramp and identified them as Imperial special ops from their attire. Except for the Wookiee, that is, who towered head and shoulders above the rest.

Jerjerrod did a double take. A _Wookiee_? Didn't the Empire usually use them as slave labour?

"Are you gonna keep us waiting all day?"

Irritation at being addressed in such a manner quickly helped Jerjerrod to recover from his initial surprise. He rounded on the sullen-looking man, taking in the casual stance that even the smart combat jacket couldn't improve. Was there something familiar about him?

Jerjerrod didn't pursue that thought. Far be it for him to question what kind of man the Dark Lord employed as an agent, but he didn't have to take any disrespect. "All the resources that you require to carry out Lord Vader's orders are at your disposal, but I hold rank here and you _will_ follow standard protocol in addressing a senior officer!"

To his shock, the disrespectful agent simply snapped right back in his face. "Look here, _Commander_. Vader doesn't keep me around to bootlick pompous bureaucrats like you. I get the job done, and I do it _my_ way, and I tell him straight up how I see things. You want me to give him a nice report about how you held up his orders 'cos you were preaching protocol? Do ya? Huh?"

Well, seeing as he put it that way... "What do you need, Agent ...?"

"Olos," the man supplied grudgingly into the lingering gap. "I'm Agent Olos."

Jerjerrod stared. Did the man just roll his eyes?

"To the Command Sector," Agent Olos snapped. "On the double, Commander."

Jerjerrod set his jaw. Refusing flat out was out of the question, but he didn't have to attend to it personally. He gestured over a grey-uniformed junior officer.

"Escort Agent Olos to the Command Sector, Ensign. Inform Colonel Dyer to cooperate fully with Lord Vader's agent."

"Yes, sir!" The young officer snapped a sharp salute to Jerjerrod before turning to the special agent. "This way, Agent Olos."

Jerjerrod nodded in approval at the smart young officer as the special ops team was led away. Perhaps he ought to promote the young man when things had all calmed down again.

* * *

"Is it morbid fascination that draws you, Princess?"

Leia had no idea what warped logic Palpatine was now conjuring. She wasn't about to prompt him to invite more of his manipulations, but he clarified for her anyway.

"You are the most persistent witness to the Empire's demonstration of its power. Alderaan destroyed by the first Death Star, and now Naboo to be destroyed by the second. It appears that you can't keep away."

"No..."

"There's no two ways about it. If you will not leave, and you will not kill me, then you will be perfectly positioned to bear witness when the designated time comes."

She shook her head. There was hope, even if it was a hope seeped in fear. "We will stop you. Luke will stop you."

He smirked. "Of course he will, I'm counting on it." The shifting whispers of darkness around them intensified, responding to Palpatine's eager anticipation. "Only through the power of the Dark Side can young Skywalker hope to defeat me, and that will secure his future as my apprentice."

_Luke_... Panic piled on top of her fear.

"The only question," he continued silkily, "is whether _you_ intend to usurp his chance."

She struggled with her composure. "This has _nothing_ to do with me."

Icy air rippled around her and over her skin. She recoiled.

He grinned. "You shield yourself well for being untrained, but you cannot hide from me. The Force is with you. And you have great capacity for fear."

She was shaking her head but bleak realisation was setting in. _He knew_.

"Worthy apprentices are so rare, it's exceptional indeed to be presented with a choice. Who will prove stronger, I wonder? More hungry for power?" He was practically salivating at the prospect. "It is fitting for the father to step aside so his child can take his place."

"My father is gone, Palpatine," Leia insisted.

He gave her a hideous display of his teeth. "The Jedi who fathered you is certainly dead; he sealed his own grave with his first deed as my servant – slaughtering the younglings at the Jedi Temple. But Lord Vader is still very much alive."

Vader had massacred _children_? She didn't want to believe it but the Force resonated with a hideous sense of truth. "Vader isn't my father," she croaked in one last desperate bid at denial.

His mood turned foul. "Save yourself the lies, Princess. A blood test is being performed as we speak, there will be no denying the results. I assure you, by the end of this day, either you, or your _Jedi_ _brother_, will submit to my will."

That small patch of sallow skin under his chin caught her eye again. The idea of strangling the Galactic Emperor with her bare hands seemed utterly ludicrous, but in order to save Luke and Naboo – and herself – she was out of options. The desire to snuff out that repulsive life grew, it would be so easy... Her hands twitched, her legs tensed to carry her forwards...

The Force fluttered. Her vision fazed and altered; Palpatine and the dim throne room faded away.

All she could see was Luke standing over her, infinite heartbreak watering his eyes as he swung his green blade down straight over her. Horrified, she brought up her hands in defence – a prickling sensation ran down her arms, fizzy as if her very blood boiled, and then blue lightning erupted from her fingertips –

The image vanished as quickly as it had begun. Reality rushed back. A Force vision? Here? Now? Its message dawned on her – as the attempt would turn Luke to the Dark Side, so it would turn _her_...

She wrenched herself backwards, away from Palpatine and his slithering dark energy, her breath shuddering, terrified at how close she had been –

Her gaze snapped up, only to be met by gleaming yellow eyes. Palpatine didn't seem to be the least upset that she hadn't succumbed.

"Twice tempted, twice refrained," he purred. "With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant."

Irrefutably, categorically, _no_. Would she strangle him just to prove him wrong –?

The spiralling pressure shattered like glass. They both felt it – a Force presence so potent that it was almost tactile, an abrupt manifestation in the vicinity of the elevator shaft as it drew back its concealment and revealed itself out of nowhere.

Mesmerised, her gaze was drawn to the doors at the far end of the throne room as the rising bars of red light indicated its approach. After a pregnant pause that seemed reluctant to pass, the doors finally parted to reveal the uninvited arrival.

The mechanical hiss of the respirator breathed in, and out, then Vader stepped out of the lift.

* * *

The shield operator watched in dismay as an unexpected blip appeared on his scopes. "Sir –" he began, but forgot to finish the sentence as another blip, and another, and another, quickly appeared.

"Sir –"

His view-screen went crazy. A flurry of blips appeared, ranging in size from tiny starfighter-sized dots to those comparable with Star Destroyers.

"Sir!"

He wasn't alone. All along the banks of panels in the traffic control room operators called out to the control officer. Computers analysed the ships, overrode manual control and sounded the alarm throughout the battlestation. Red lights started flashing as a mechanical voice sounded over the intercom.

"Priority alert. Rebel fleet in attack range. Priority alert."

"Signal the commander!" the control officer shouted to whoever might be fastest.

* * *

Naboo loomed into view as they dropped out of hyperspace. Pointed dots of Star Destroyers could be seen surrounding the planet at regular intervals – an Imperial blockade. And there was the Death Star, not even half complete but still gargantuan in size and menace. It could almost have been a moon, had it not been for its incomplete, artificial structuring bared to the stars.

"They won't even let anyone escape the genocide," Rieekan muttered darkly, shaking his head.

"May the Force be with us," Ackbar answered in prayer from beside him on the bridge of _Home One_.

This won't be like Alderaan, Rieekan vowed to himself. He would fight tooth and nail, as would the Alliance, he knew. "All wings report in," he ordered over the fleet-wide com.

"Blue Leader standing by," Simms checked in.

"Grey Leader standing by," Salm checked in.

"Green Leader standing by," Crynyd checked in.

Ackbar completed his checks of the battleships in the primary division of the Alliance Fleet. "All ships proceed in attack formation," he ordered from his control chair.

The rebel fleet surged forwards, a multifarious flotilla of numerous battleships and starfighters. Heavily armoured bulk cruisers spearheaded a two-pronged attack formation, braced by widening trails of corvettes and frigates with A-, B- and Y-wings zipping in between.

From the far side of the Death Star, three Star Destroyers answered their challenge. The arrowhead-shaped ships advanced at full throttle, guns blazing, heedless of being heavily outnumbered by the rebel fleet with any possible back-up tied up in the blockade.

"I don't like this," Rieekan muttered as rebel ships began returning fire. Retreat was treason in the Imperial ranks but such bravery was also rare. Perhaps Palpatine being on board the Death Star had something to do with it.

"This is Yamarus," came a call over the comlink from the Star Cruiser _Liberty_. "We're sustaining heavy bombardment but shields are holding. The main concern is that those Star Destroyers are on a direct collision course with the _Liberty_."

"Take evasive manoeuvres and break formation if you must, Admiral," Ackbar replied. "All ships, intensify forward batteries. Bring those Star Destroyers down."

"Grey Squadron, move in," Salm ordered. He led the three flights of four B-wings and Y-wings as they peeled off from the main armada and zigzagged towards the advancing Star Destroyers, avoiding their continuous spray of laserfire.

"Focus all firepower on the lead Destroyer," Salm said as they neared firing range.

"This is weird, Grey Leader," Telsij said over the com. "Where are the TIEs?"

"Getting impatient, Lieutenant?" Salm smirked. "They're all down in Naboo, we'll have plenty to chase soon enough."

The starfighters dove in on the lead battleship amidst a shower of battery fire, all laser cannons and proton bombs firing at the starboard shield generator. As they looped around a full circle the bulbous sphere exploded.

"Shields at forty percent!" Salm read off his computer. "Aim for the bridge!"

Before any of the rebel pilots could follow the order, they heard Ackbar over the comlink. "Grey Squadron, pull back!"

"We almost have this one, Admiral, are you sure?" Salm checked.

"Return to the fleet, _now_ Colonel!"

Grey Squadron began withdrawing, extracting themselves from close combat with the Star Destroyer just as hazardously as when they went in.

"Increase shields, all eyes on scopes," warned Ackbar. "We have incoming!"

Energy readings were off the scale. Seconds later, the black expanse of space all around them became a sea of Star Destroyers as a formidable Imperial armada dropped out of hyperspace.

"It's a trap!"


	16. The price of power

Yes of _course_ it was going to be a trap! Really, just three Star Destroyers to defend the Death Star? Me thinks not! :)

So the battle continues. Now I wonder what you make of this... *hides behind sofa*

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** I love SW but it isn't mine!

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 16. The price of power **

"_Two_, Chewie," Han grumbled as they followed the Ensign through uninspiring grey corridor after uninspiring grey corridor. "Not two hundred, not two thousand. _Two_." He closed his mouth, raising his head in his best impression of a haughty Imperial as a patrol of stormtroopers approached. He ducked his head again as soon as they had passed. "And somehow we manage to end up traipsing through both of them!"

Chewie woofed a noncommittal sound, knowing that his loquacious friend was only venting from worry. No matter how much he disliked the Death Star they wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else.

Han snapped straight again as the Ensign turned to them.

"This will take us up to the Command Sector, sir," the young man reported as he tapped the console to summon the elevator.

Han nodded as loftily as he could. "Good."

He looked at the Ensign, then Chewie, then X2, then the Ensign again. Unaccustomed to standing still, Han shifted from foot to foot, looking all around, trying to find something to say to fill the awkward silence as they waited for the elevator to arrive. X2 pulled off that air of attentive ease that all military men seemed to possess just as easily as the Ensign, and Chewie and the other eight rebel troops imitated to varying degrees of success. Han, on the other hand, continued to rock on his heels, fidgeting in the stiff black uniform.

Just as Han had been about to break under the uncomfortable silence and start grilling the Ensign over what could have possibly enticed him to sign up with the Imperial Academy, red lights began flashing in the corridor and a mechanical voice sounded over the intercom.

"Priority alert. Rebel fleet in attack range. Priority alert."

"A rebel attack!" the Ensign cried, turning several shades whiter.

"Flaming Hutt slime, not a rebel attack!" Han exclaimed with grossly exaggerated gravity. "We'd best get to the Command Sector quick!"

The Ensign nodded eagerly, entirely serious.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a cloaked woman. Several strands of red hair had escaped the confines of the hood, framing bright green eyes as they widened in recognition.

"You!" she hissed.

Not a moment later, everyone's blasters had been drawn. Han had never seen the woman before but with Chewie in battle mode there was no question in his mind that this wasn't bad news. He aimed his blaster at her and improvised. "Freeze! You rebel scum."

The rest of his squad followed his lead and also pointed their weapons at her.

"_I_ am Imperial!" she snapped. "_You're_ the rebel scum. You're Han Solo and this is Chewbacca! Everyone's heard of you."

The Ensign had also drawn his blaster but he was wavering between the two, not knowing who to aim at.

Han barked a laugh and retorted, "We're Lord Vader's agents! Not every Wookiee you see is the infamous Chewbacca."

"Oh, that's Chewbacca alright, with his trademark bowcaster. I spent a month undercover with you social misfits, I'd know!"

"Oh, yeah, of course, _undercover_," Han jeered. "What a load of garbage, you're no Imperial."

Mara couldn't widely publicize her identity as the Emperor's Hand but she could still verify her allegiance. She smiled gloatingly over her blaster. "We'll ask the Emperor to clear up who's lying, shall we?"

Han scoffed with false bluster, but inside he realised that any hope of wrangling their way out of this complication had all but disappeared. The redhead reached for her comlink –

Han abruptly fired at her, forcing her to dive out of the way. Chewie clobbered the unfortunate Ensign over the head, knocking him to the floor in a daze. It saved his life – not a moment later, the spot where he'd been standing was filled with a volley of laserfire as stormtroopers came charging in with blasters blazing.

"Run!" Han shouted as the rebels peeled down the corridor, firing wildly back over their shoulders.

* * *

The massive Imperial armada surrounded the entire rebel fleet. The multitude of Star Destroyers wasted no time in closing in for the kill, sailing straight for the trapped rebels.

Ackbar quickly scanned the computer readout of the field. "All ships hold course! Focus on two sections, headed by _Liberty_ and _Defiance_. Find a way through."

The rebels held their breath as they flew at the surging wall of Imperial ships –

They clashed. It was instant chaos, Imperial and Alliance capital ships pounding each other with their guns as thousands of TIE fighters and hundreds of rebel starfighters hurtled in between.

"There's too many of them!" Telsij cried. Visibility was down to mere metres as their ships screamed through a roiling sea of ships and lethal fire.

The rebel starfighters were outnumbered five to one, and those TIE fighters not involved in dogfights began targeting the Alliance warships.

"Accelerate to attack speed!" Grey Leader ordered. "Engage the TIEs and draw their fire away from the cruisers."

There was no time to think. Sweeping along the hulls of the Alliance battleships, firing at whatever TIE fighters they could locate in their targeting arrays, and dodging the deadly blasts from the increasing number of TIEs they were picking up on their tails, the rebel pilots reacted on instinct as they charged and dodged and spun through the intense mêlée.

And all around them were frequent explosions, but the battle was too frenzied to see which side had gone up in flames.

* * *

Angry clouds of darkness rolled before him in waves.

_This_ was the essence of Darth Vader that she had known and feared all the years of her life, that even those with no sensitivity to the Force experienced as a sense of severe dread at being in his presence.

It was only then, in its shocking return, that she noticed its previous absence. On Polis Massa and Geonosis, even as far back as during the Treaty talks on Theed, Darth Vader had not been Darth Vader like this. But what did it mean? Had it truly been Anakin Skywalker who had helped them, as Luke had thought? Had Vader now returned in his most terrifying form?

"You're here. I'm so pleased," Palpatine snarled, sounding anything but.

Vader strode over the bridge spanning the seemingly endless drop to the reactor core and onwards across the polished floor, his step unhurried but purposeful. "I'm sure you are," came his biting reply. "You were so concerned at the thought of my demise that I felt duty-bound to reassure you otherwise without delay."

Palpatine tried to penetrate that helmeted head, only to be met with an impeccable wall of shields. His gaze narrowed. How uncharacteristic of Vader to have been meditating and working on his technique. "You're reckless to come to me, Lord Vader. Did you not learn your lesson the last time you were screaming on your knees before me?"

Leia searched the black mask. What had happened between them?

Anakin smiled secretly to himself as he climbed the first set of stairs to the throne. He had learned his lesson alright but it wasn't for Sidious to know just what that lesson had been – however intoxicating the darkness, his family trumped.

"It was but a small price to pay," Vader drawled. He continued without pause to the top of the second set of stairs and then took a step to the side, placing himself directly in Palpatine and Leia's line of sight. He held himself at his full height, offering no bow. "I would have done anything to keep my son from you, Sidious."

If there had been any doubt before of Vader's intent to terminate his apprenticeship to the Sith Master, it was certainly banished now.

Amidst Leia's growing suspicions of what might have transpired following the rebels' escape from Yavin 13, there was a gentle touch against her mind. It originated from within the dark cloud surrounding Vader, but it wasn't intrusive, nothing more than a nudge really, as if he had just leaned into her shoulder.

Even in its brief contact she recognised the gesture for what it was – reassurance. _It's still me_, he was saying. _I'm here_.

She might have rejected him, she might have coldly rebutted his apologies, but he was still here, placing himself in harm's way to protect her. A lump formed in her throat.

"The Princess will leave now," Vader stated.

"I can't –" Leia began to explain, but Sidious interrupted.

"So formal." Sidious shook his head sadly. Mara Jade hadn't returned with the blood analysis yet – that was the one drawback of removing all data regarding midi-chlorians off the public archives, that it took the medics far longer than it used to to run tests they didn't know and confirm results they didn't understand – but it wasn't exactly a wild stab in the dark. He taunted with mock pity, "You poor thing, has your own _daughter_ denied you the use of her name?"

Vader's Force presence twitched at this confirmation that Sidious knew exactly who she was.

Bloodless lips stretched over blackened teeth. "There is no hurry. The Princess and I were having such an _informative_ conversation, I'd hate for her to leave so soon."

The helmet turned fractionally. "Go," he said over his shoulder.

"Oh, that really is inconsiderate, Lord Vader. We didn't even get to speak of her dear mother."

Time stopped.

"You haven't told her, have you? I didn't think so."

Vader's guilt swirled all about them. "Go, Leia," he urged again.

That was all the confirmation she needed. Something had happened – no, he had _done_ something to her mother, and he didn't want her to know. Her feet seemed glued to the black floor.

"I can't see you my dear, thanks to Lord Vader standing so very rudely in front of you," came Palpatine's voice, "but fortunately we can still speak around him. Your mother was a dear friend and colleague of mine for many years and I share your grief –"

"You have no right to speak of her!" Vader thundered.

"I know how _you_ like to bury all thought of your late wife, Lord Vader, but it is therapeutic to speak of distressing matters. And you can't deny that this is certainly distressing. Even the mere mention of Padmé's name has you bristling like an agitated acklay." He smiled darkly at Vader fuming silently. "It was a sad day for all of us when she died."

"You're incapable of any normal human emotion, Sidious. There is only darkness and evil inside you."

Palpatine was amused at Vader's attempt to steer the subject away. "You're no different, my friend. Why else would you choke your pregnant wife to death?"

Inside his mask, Anakin closed his eyes. Now Leia knew, and under the worst possible circumstances. He could feel her horrified gaze burning into the back of his skull. Just when he thought that there couldn't be anything left of his heart to hurt anymore, it broke even more.

The pain and guilt flowed off Vader as if his cape was a physical manifestation of it. Was there no end to Vader's atrocities against those he called his family? Leia unconsciously backed away from him.

Anakin sensed her motion and his resolve to protect her reasserted itself within him. So long as she was headed in the right direction, away from Sidious, he would use it as leverage. He stepped backwards, forcing her to take another step. She had reached the top of the stairs.

Palpatine wasn't blind. "Princess Leia is going nowhere," he snapped, rising from his throne. "She has denounced you, firmly and repeatedly. She stays here."

"She may denounce me as much as she wishes," Vader threw back. "_Neither_ of us have a claim to her. The choice for her future is hers alone."

Sidious circled them. "I already gave her the option to leave, Lord Vader, and she refused it."

"Because you threatened to destroy Naboo!" Leia snapped.

Vader's countenance darkened as he flicked his lightsaber off his belt. "Then the threat must be removed. _Permanently_."

Palpatine's grin was pure malice. "I thought you'd never try."

His lightsaber shooting into hand was the work of a moment and the Sith Master flew at Vader, knowing he would be blocked. He wasn't disappointed. With a resonant _snap_-_hiss_ the matching red blade leapt to life, and they clashed in a shower of sparks.

* * *

"So I finally get to meet the famous Mara Jade, _and_ on the Death Star!" Han hollered sardonically as he stuck his arm around the corner and fired down the corridor without looking. "Perfect!"

"And I finally get to meet the stuck-up, half-witted nerf-herder, Han Solo!" she shouted back, accompanying her response with her own hail of blaster fire.

"Hey!" Han complained, firing back again along with the other rebels. "You don't even know me!"

"I don't _need_ to know you! Your blasted friends went_ on_ and _on_, every day it was _Han this_, _Han that_. It was nauseating!"

Han quirked a grin at Chewie standing above him. "You did? Sweet."

_We mentioned you once or twice, that hardly qualifies as going on and on_, Chewie corrected before firing his bowcaster at a stormtrooper who had been trying to creep closer.

They were in a grey corridor that looked identical to the countless others they had ran through, holding ground as they waited for X2 to hotwire the door behind them. They maintained a stream of blasterfire around the corner and they could hold back a few stormtroopers at a time, but if the Imps rallied their numbers and stormed them before they could get the door open it would be all over.

Two corners away further down the corridor, Mara Jade turned impatiently to the Ensign. The man was ashen and seemed a little shaken but was otherwise back on his feet.

"How can it take so long for reinforcements to arrive?" she demanded tightly. The Death Star was filled to the brim with stormtroopers and yet there had been no sign of backup since the first two squads had arrived.

"Commander Jejerrod assured they would be here," the young man insisted, repeating his comlink conversation.

Mara weighed the importance of pursuing the rebels against the test results secured in her pocket, and made her decision. "Hold them here until backup arrives, then rush them," she ordered the stormtroopers. "Try and take them alive but kill them rather than letting them escape. I'll be back."

One of the squad leaders nodded curtly at her and resumed firing down the corridor as she hurried away.

X2 was still working on the door when it whooshed open of its own accord. A uniformed officer stepped through, completely oblivious to the group huddled on the other side. He had all of one shocking moment to register their presence before X2 had knocked him unconscious.

* * *

Two TIE fighters clipped their wing braces directly in front of his A-wing interceptor. One of them came spinning towards him and Jake Farrell tilted his controls minutely to evade it by flying straight through the dispersing fireball of the other. Ten Numb matched his flight pattern and stuck close by his wing.

They emerged from the fireball, only to pull up sharply to narrowly miss a lone A-wing that came zooming past. Two TIE Interceptors screamed after it in hot pursuit, laser cannons blasting.

"Blue Seven, you've got two on your tail," Farrell warned as he dove after them.

"You think I hadn't noticed?" Thern grumbled as he swung his ship from side to side, trying to escape them in an erratic path through the swarm of starfighters.

"Blue Leader, Blue Seven's flying solo," Farrell added. He had instructed countless new recruits. How many times had he drilled into them that nobody flew alone?

"Copy, Green Six," Simms acknowledged, equally unimpressed. "I'm on my way."

The lone A-wing ducked behind the bridge of the Star Destroyer _Thunderflare_, zipping around its protruding sensors and antennae but the pursuers continued to stick right behind it.

"I can't shake them!" Thern called.

"Hold on, we're almost there," Farrell said as he and Numb closed in.

A flight of three TIEs came barrelling towards them through the thick mass of starfighters and battleships. Normally Farrell would have just dodged them and continued to hunt down the Interceptors, but these weren't normal TIEs. Their triple, arrow-shaped solar wings spelled trouble – these had shielding, enhanced firepower, advanced manoeuvrability that outstripped the A-wing, and were flown by the most elite and experienced of the Interceptor pilots.

Farrell swore. "Sorry, we have to break off. They've got Defenders!"

He and Numb plunged into a tight corkscrew over the _Retaliator_'s hull, unleashing laser cannons as they shot past the three TIE Defenders, all the while evading the booming ion pulses the _Retaliator_ was firing at the _Maria_. As feared, the triple-winged TIEs simply absorbed the laser blasts with their shielding and hurtled after them.

Farrell's computer flashed in warning – concussion missiles had locked onto him. Refusing to take his wingman down with him, he broke free from Numb against his own instructions and shot straight for the _Denunciator_'s shield generator alone. He looped around it, as tight as he dared, pushing his speed, faster, tighter –

He snatched at his controls. He pulled away, just as the shield generator exploded behind him. The A-wing buckled from the shockwave, but fortunately soon steadied. Ten Numb caught up with him again and they circled the next warship in the never-ending scattergram of Star Destroyers.

Thern, meanwhile, had spotted a narrow gap between two converging squadrons of TIE Bombers and nose-dived his A-wing through it.

Shara spotted the A-wing come hurtling out of the dense mesh of Bombers on the other side. She was already firing at its tail in anticipation. Sure enough, the pursuing Interceptors flew into her line of fire and exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Thanks, Grey Five!" Thern called.

Shara simply grinned as she flew off with her wingman, already firing at more TIE fighters.

"Blue Seven, you're with us," Simms snapped as he sped past with his wingman.

"Copy, Blue Leader," Thern acknowledged in relief as he hurriedly joined their formation.

* * *

'_Run, Leia!' _

Leia jumped at the voice in her head. Lightsabers lunged and parried at such a speed that made it impossible to determine whose blade was whose. She hesitated for only a moment as she watched them battle furiously, before throwing herself down the steps away from the throne. Vader could handle Palpatine, she told herself. But she couldn't shake the sense of guilt.

The hissing sound of clashing lightsabers chased her down the stairs, interspersed by the echoing mechanical breathing. The Force suddenly flared in alarm, much as it had on Geonosis. This time, however, she wasn't immersed in a Force-enhanced state, and, unable to control it, it near white-washed all her senses. She stumbled –

Instantly she was snatched up by a strong arm, yanking her away from the swipe of a scintillating blade. Vader released her behind him as he continued to deflect Palpatine's barrage of attacks.

The Emperor drove at Vader in murderous glee. In a straightforward lightsaber duel his now ex-apprentice had the edge considering Palpatine's advancing age, but the Sith Master was free to attack without any concern over whom he injured. Vader, on the other hand, had the distinct disadvantage of wanting to protect Leia.

Palpatine's onslaught of jabs and feints and slashing and hacking forced Vader off at an angle. For a moment she saw Palpatine out of the corner of her eyes, raising his hand, blue lightning forking out towards her –

A mass of black flew in, blocking her view. There was a horrible screeching – it took her a moment to realise that Vader was blocking the lightning with his lightsaber. She stared in astonishment at the back of his helmet. Time and again, he came to her defence, protecting her...

Just a little, her obstinate resentment began to crack.

"You old fool!" Sidious snarled over the ringing crackling. "Your family always was your greatest weakness!"

"They give me strength the likes of which you'll never know, Sidious," Vader rumbled back.

The Force lightning abruptly ceased, making Vader almost stagger forwards. Palpatine feinted high before throwing a vicious series of low attacks, knowing the substandard prosthetics would cope poorly.

Vader surprised him with his dexterity, however, as he easily dropped low to block them, before bearing down on Sidious, using his height advantage as he drove the Emperor away from his daughter.

'_Go, Leia!_'

For just a moment Leia hesitated, before she started running for the elevator shaft again. But this time she had an entirely different purpose. Her urge to run had transformed into a resolve to assist Vader. The first squad of stormtroopers to cross her path was about to be divulged of their weapons.

The proof of Vader having improved his prosthetics behind his back angered Sidious and the Dark Side flurried in response. Concealing his intent behind a flurry of attacks, Sidious burst out with the Force.

Leia heard a pained grunt and a crash of something heavy hitting the deck, but she didn't risk a glance backwards as she sprinted towards the open elevator doors. Two steps later, however, her whole body became a sea of pain as she was sent hurtling through the air.

She screamed as the Force lightning tore into her.

Anakin had never seen anything so horrifying in his life as the sight of that blue lightning running over his daughter. "No!" Anakin sprang off the floor and threw himself towards Palpatine.

Precisely as Sidious had intended, Vader's distraction cost him. The torrent of lightning turned on Anakin and he was thrown backwards, landing close to Leia. The air was knocked from his lungs, his every fibre screamed in agony.

This was no controlled punishment to teach his wayward apprentice a lesson. Sidious let loose with only one intent – to kill Darth Vader. He aimed specifically at the mechanical breathing equipment, and he aimed for living tissue; his entire fury focused on extinguishing life.

* * *

Rieekan's warning came over the comm from _Home One_. "Incoming! Five squadrons of TIE Defenders, point oh six!"

Crynyd gripped his controls harder. "We'll squash those pesky bugs!"

"Second that, Green Leader," Farrell chipped in as he and Numb continued to dodge and fire at the Defenders already on their tail.

_Cosmos _and_ Sanctuary_, two of the new Nebulon-B frigates courtesy of Vader, spared some artillery from their bombardment of the surrounding Star Destroyers and hailed a spray of turbolasers through the incoming TIE Defenders. A handful exploded and several were sent spinning out of control, but the majority nimbly dodged the heavy fire and clashed with the rebel ships.

Ackbar was keeping a close eye on the spread of the capital ships. The Alliance ships had spread through a large proportion of the Imperial armada but it still wasn't enough. Too many Star Destroyers were unoccupied for their plans to work... He quickly made his decision.

"This is Ackbar. Admiral Yamarus, Admiral Nammo, split the battlefield. Alliance Fleet, back up_ Liberty_ and _Defiance_. Engage those Star Destroyers."

* * *

The respirator quickly short-circuited, the vocaliser failed. Although it was muffled by the helmet and largely absorbed by the roaring sizzling of the Force lightning, nonetheless Leia heard his screams. It was his real voice, his vocal chords splitting in unspeakable pain. It was a sound that would haunt her for the rest of her life – a sound that now pierced through her years of accumulated hatred as nothing else could.

There's a man inside that suit, she realised. Once mutated and enthralled by the Dark Side, but it was her _father_, hidden behind the terrifying mask.

Anakin didn't hear Leia shouting at Palpatine to stop, didn't see her run at the Sith Master only to be sent hurtling back again as he repelled her with an auxiliary dose of lightning.

It is said that in the moment before death, one's life flashes before your eyes – but that wasn't what Anakin saw as his strength and hope rapidly deteriorated under the relentless onslaught of lightning. What filled his vision were images of Padmé giving birth and her ensuing death, the baby girl being held by Bail Organa, and Obi-Wan taking the boy to Tatooine. The total separation of his family, the lost years of all that could have been – lucid and vivid, the Force showed him the true price exacted for his fall to the Dark Side.

Tears streamed down his face, but whether from the lightning or the Force visions, he didn't know.

Then, amidst the all-encompassing agony, the Force granted its Chosen One one more chance, one possible chance to survive.

It had been his driving force for so many years, a formidable power ingrained in the very fibre of his being, still an integral part of him that had refused to be banished even as he had been reborn as Anakin Skywalker. But now, as he raced towards death's door, as the Force-bond to his former master stretched and frayed, then snapped altogether –

At long last, the Dark Side relinquished Anakin, and the Force reverberated with the death of Darth Vader.


	17. The value of truth

The fight for the galaxy continues!

Just a quick note – The next update will probably be in June as I'm off on holiday in May. I know it's frustrating being stuck in limbo in the midst of battle but if I just hashed something together then it wouldn't be any good so please bear with me!

Hope you enjoy this :)

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 17. The value of truth **

The Force ricocheted.

All of Palpatine's Hands and secret agents who tapped into the Dark Side were as the tiniest insects compared to the two giants who were the Dark Lords of the Sith, and at the passing of one of its primary conduits, the Force raged a violent tempest to fill the sudden void.

Racing towards the Death Star in hyperspace Luke gasped, his shaking hands grasping for support.

The Force roared through him. He felt the powerful recoil as a great outlet was closed off to the Dark Side, as the Force heaved an enormous shift.

What had happened to his father? To Leia?

He gradually registered that the others were speaking to him. He also realised that he was clenching Trann's arm in one hand and the back of a chair with the other, that Trann was practically holding him up in return.

Luke forced his hands to loosen, to support himself with his own legs. He kept himself firmly anchored to the Light Side of the Force, continuously washing the soothing energy through himself in an effort to regain his calm. He had learned his lesson on Geonosis; he would not be inducing the Dark Side again.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" he managed to ask.

Trann shook his head, too worried about Luke to notice whether his arm hurt or not.

"Skywalker?" Madine asked uncertainly, not liking the haunted look in those blue eyes.

"I'm alright." Luke tried to steady his voice. "It's the Force." He stared off into the distance, seeing and feeling things that only he could perceive. "We must hurry."

* * *

Leia could only stare in numb shock as Darth Vader – the infallible, invincible Darth Vader – dropped with a resounding thud to the smooth durasteel floor. His lightsaber rolled from loose fingers and came to rest by her foot. That dark presence she had known and feared for so long, who only in the last few moments had started to become more than just someone to hate – was gone.

_No_...

She had no idea what she was feeling. After everything that had transpired between them, all she could think of was that _her father_ had come for her. Vader had fought to protect her and he had paid with his life. He _couldn't_ be dead... could he?

"Goodbye, my unfaithful apprentice," Sidious spat.

He flicked a finger. The heavy, armoured body sailed over the banister of the bridge and tumbled like a dead weight down the gaping hole of the reactor shaft. That inconvenience taken care of, the Sith Master turned away.

It was pure instinct. Not taking her eyes off the Emperor's hunched back as he ambled back up the stairs, Leia fought the stabbing pains rippling all through her and the intense blaze of her unhealed shoulder to reach for Vader's lightsaber. Her fingers slowly, firmly, closed around it.

The metal was stone cold, as if it hadn't been held by living flesh in a long time. The hilt was larger than Luke's and the activation switch was located further around, but it was there, reassuringly solid beneath her thumb. But she didn't press it yet. She would have to bide her time, wait for an opportunity. As the Emperor made his way up the last few steps she wedged the lightsaber up her trouser leg. She would have preferred it closer to hand in her sleeves but it would have protruded too conspicuously; her trouser leg would have to do. It pressed comfortingly into her calf. Even in death Vader seemed to be watching over her.

Palpatine eased himself back on his throne and turned his smirking face to her, a knowing glint in his eye. "Now, Princess Leia, it is down to you."

As the Princess came unsteadily to her feet and faced him, however, he saw nothing of the impulsive fear from earlier that was so easy to manipulate. She appeared to be in somewhat of a daze but she stared at him as if seeing him anew, as if the full horror of his soul was bared to view.

She was numb from Vader's death, Palpatine realised. Vader's arrival had been an unwelcome setback that had robbed an early triumph, but so long as it was handled carefully, the Princess would still fall. And fall hard.

Just as he considered this new development, the red bars of light rose on the side of the elevator shaft and its door slid open. Turning an apprentice was a delicate operation and Palpatine found his patience being thoroughly tested at this second unapproved disruption. He glowered as Mara Jade swiftly made her way to the throne.

Bright green eyes briefly met Leia's as she passed. To Mara's utter perplexity, all she received from the Princess was quiet clemency, reminding her all too much of Skywalker. Where was the accusation, the hatred? What was it with these rebels being so damned _compassionate_ all the time?

Mara pushed aside her bewilderment, cleared her mind as she reached the Emperor and knelt before him. "Master, I brought this immediately as you wished."

Any dense fool would have seen that he was angry at the interruption, let alone someone who had grown up under his tutelage. Palpatine knew that she was subtly reminding him that she was acting as per his orders. While he didn't approve of her trying to influence him in this way, he nevertheless tried to rein in his anger as he plucked the datapad from her proffered hand.

The two lines of the datapad confirmed what he already knew. Princess Leia was the biological daughter of Anakin Skywalker and her midichlorian count was one of the highest ever recorded – Sidious was only aware of himself, Yoda and Anakin Skywalker having recorded higher.

He had what he needed. "Go now, your work here is finished," he snapped.

If he hadn't been so absorbed contemplating how to proceed with the Princess he might have noticed the infinitesimal delay before his Hand bowed her head.

Mara pictured herself as a slab of marble stone, devoid of feeling and expression. "Yes, master." She backed away two steps before turning and gliding gracefully away. She descended both sets of stairs leading away from the throne, drew level with the Princess –

"Mara Jade," he called, his tone suddenly gentle.

She turned instantly.

He awarded her a thin smile. "You have done well."

She firmly held the smooth marble visage in place. "Thank you, master." Another bow, another two steps backwards, and she crossed the bridge into the elevator.

* * *

Her marble face remained in place as she strode authoritatively passed uniformed officers and troops to the shuttle bay, as she used the Emperor's authority to demand clearance from the shield operator and guided the stock YT-2400 out of one of the many large hangars on the Death Star. It remained in place as she hugged the curve of Naboo's upper atmosphere to keep clear of the intense battle raging on the far side of the enormous battlestation, as she absent-mindedly plotted hyperspace coordinates and pushed the throttle to jump to lightspeed.

Only then, as she rapidly left the Death Star far behind, did her façade crumble. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenched her fists.

An _afterthought_, nothing more!

She hadn't been looking for effusive appreciation; that wasn't the Emperor's style. All she'd needed was the smallest confirmation that her master valued her. There could have been no service more dedicated than delivering Skywalker's single greatest weakness, but her only reward had been the verification that her master had no thought for her beyond her usefulness. It had swiftly been emphasized by his blatant manipulation – the praise, the smile and kindly voice were all empty gestures to keep her compliant!

_Everyone is a tool to him... Does he tell you that you are the only Emperor's Hand?..._

Skywalker's words echoed in her mind. What had he done to her?

Before Geonosis she would have seen nothing wrong in being dismissed in such a manner. She would have taken the Emperor's praise to heart, it would have motivated her to further devotion. She would have interpreted her master's lack of comment on her wounded state as a silent rebuke to train harder. But now, thanks to that Jedi, all she could see was her master's manipulation and insincerity.

_Your parents. They died a terrible, unnatural death, Mara... Go to the SuRecon Center, if only to prove me wrong..._

She glanced at the navcomputer, only to find that she had already entered the hyperspace coordinates for Imperial Center. She was racing towards a distinct crosssroads in her life faster than the speed of light, and she wasn't at all certain that she wanted to know. Feeling sick, she stared at the ETA counter ticking down.

* * *

"Got it!" X2 announced as he successfully sliced into the Death Star network.

Han craned his neck to look back at him. "Great. Which way?"

X2 squinted at the complex mesh of overlapping 3D blueprints and traced paths onto his small computer screen. "We're close. Next level up, a sector away."

Chewie had been monitoring the security recording of the corridor outside the empty crew quarters where they had holed up. He growled a warning, making Han glance over.

"You might wanna hurry it up there pal, we've got some old friends heading this way."

They drew weapons as a dozen off-duty stormtroopers paused outside the door, helmets tucked under their arms and completely oblivious to the surprise that awaited them within. They began drifting into two groups, lingering briefly as they exchanged final words for the day.

"I'm done," X2 confirmed, disconnecting from the Imperial network and handing a copy to Han. "We have three possible routes up to the Command Sector."

Han slipped the micro-datapad into his pocket. "Ready, boys," he murmured, one eye on the security recording and the other on the door.

Chewie woofed softly. Hands tightened on blasters and rifles.

The nearest trooper palmed open the door – it was the last thing he ever did.

Chewie swung up with his bowcaster, knocking the man in the jaw and lifting him clear off his feet. Han ducked past. He'd shot the second and third in quick succession by the time the Imps had recovered from their surprise and started firing back.

By that point Chewie had downed another two with a single exploding quarrel from his bowcaster and the rest of the rebel strike team had charged out into the corridor.

Shots rang out in all directions, there were grunts of pain. The rebels made quick work of clearing the corridor, using the element of surprise to their full advantage. It was an added bonus that the stormtroopers were exhausted from a double extended shift.

Two of the rebel squad suffered minor flesh wounds but they were quickly strapped up.

"You good?" Han checked. Both nodded, unfazed. They were all hardened fighters.

"This way," X2 said, leading them off. "There's a maintenance passage that can take us up."

* * *

The shield operator couldn't believe his bad fortune as yet another unusual request was directed through his headset.

"Command station, I repeat, we're sustaining heavy damage and shields will not hold for long. We need to dock!"

"Shuttle _Tydirium_, the deflector generator _cannot_ be disabled during battle," the operator repeated, his tone rising. What did they think they were going to do, provide an open avenue for the rebels to target the Emperor?

There was swearing on the other end as the _Lambda_-class shuttle swerved to avoid the proton torpedoes fired by the pursuing B-wings. "Then I suggest you inform the Emperor that his guest has been pulverised!" the shuttle's captain snapped.

The operator blanched. "The Emperor's guest?" he squeaked.

There was more swearing as the _Tydirium_ was rocked by blaster shots. "The man's not here _sightseeing_ in the middle of the biggest offensive we've had against these scum, I can tell you that!"

The shield operator could think of nothing worse than delivering such bad news to the Emperor. He briefly wondered if it could be a trap, but they _were_ in an Imperial shuttle and they _were_ being pursued by a whole bunch of rebel starfighters. He made adjustments to open up a small port in the shield for them to dock in one of the sub-level bays.

"Very well. I'm sending the codes over now. But be quick about it."

The rebel starfighters chased the _Lambda_-shuttle all the way to the small hangar. They peeled away as the shield closed behind it.

* * *

Jerjerrod's nerves were being thoroughly tested for the third time that day and he wasn't sure how many more such distinguished personages he could handle. This visitor, however, only had the shield operator's word to vouch for his importance. Jerjerrod marched up to the shuttle with a squad of stormtroopers in tow, just in case.

As soon as he approached the lowered ramp of the shuttle _Tydirium_, however, he was overcome by the strangest sensation to enter the shuttle alone.

"Wait here," he ordered the troops in a monotone, his eyes glazed over as his legs carried him up the ramp and into the gloom. He experienced no alarm, or indeed any reaction at all, at seeing the hooded man waiting for him within with a silver and blue astromech droid squatted alongside.

"I came alone," the cloaked man said, waving his hand in a vague arc.

"You came alone," Jerjerrod repeated, parrot fashion.

"There is no need to search this shuttle."

"There is no need to search this shuttle."

"There is no need to keep this shuttle under guard."

"There is no need to keep this shuttle under guard."

"You will take me to the Emperor now."

"I will take you to the Emperor now." The officer promptly turned and exited the shuttle, followed by the cloaked man and the droid.

"Return to your posts," Jerjerrod ordered the waiting troops in a dull monotone before leading the 'important guest' towards the throne room.

The hangar fell quiet, leaving only the occasional whirring of distant transports and the humming of machines. In the gloom of the shuttle's interior there was a chuckle.

"That's one helluva trick."

* * *

There was a blinding flare, an exploding fireball that engulfed those ships nearby which hadn't pulled away fast enough –

"Admiral! We've lost _Urjani_!"

Ackbar didn't linger on the loss of the bulk cruiser. His bulbous eyes were following the scattered blips on his portable display and he spotted the coordinated intent of four Star Destroyers as they navigated in sync through the dense spread of capital warships.

"General, _Justice_ is next," Ackbar warned, turned away –

Rieekan was noting the deployment pattern on his own screen. "Grey Leader, can you cover _Justice_?" –

– Ackbar spoke into his comlink, "_Valiance_, _Justice_, provide mutual cover." –

– "We're on our way," came Salm's reply into Rieekan's ear, who had overheard Ackbar. Rieekan marked _Valiance_'s position and determined the vulnerable side. "Target _Visage_ and _Denunciator_," he added.

"Copy that, General," Salm confirmed.

Rieekan glanced over at the Admiral. "I don't know what idiot's in charge over there but I'm sure glad it's not Vader. We'd be in serious trouble if they thought to coordinate their attacks more often."

"We would have had no chance against Vader leading such an armada," Ackbar readily agreed.

His comlink beeped and a heavily encrypted transmission came through. It was a hushed voice in stark contrast to all the intel and orders being hailed on the bridge of _Home One_.

"Admiral, we're in."

Finally, the news he had been waiting for. Ackbar nodded his large head. "Copy, General Madine. May the Force be with you." He changed to a new frequency. "General Calrissian, ready your fleet."

* * *

The nefarious murkiness permeating the whole Death Star intensified into a solid wall of evil that hit Luke as soon as the elevator doors opened. The very air in the throne room was saturated with dark tendrils emanating from the Emperor, whisperings of fear and despair that sought purchase on his mind.

Unknown to Luke, he paused very much as his father had done, reinforcing his focus within the living Force before stepping forth, alone, onto the shining black floor.

From the dais, across the bridge spanning the huge, humming chasm in which the elevator shaft stood, Palpatine's pulverant voice floated down to him. "Welcome, young Skywalker. We have been expecting you."

Leia was leaning heavily on the rails at the far end of the bridge. She recognised Luke even with the hood and she watched him approach, desperately needing his soothing presence and yet uneasy from being ridden with guilt. Already shaken by the death of Vader and what felt oddly like regret at his passing, Palpatine's goading before Luke's arrival that Vader had died _because of her_ was festering in her mind. From a certain point of view, it was entirely true...

"Emperor Palpatine," Luke replied levelly, "you have overreached yourself. You will not be forgiven for threatening Naboo."

He didn't speak any louder than usual but his voice rang with a quality Leia had never heard. She could feel his strength, subtle but unwavering.

Palpatine sneered in disdain. "I am the Galactic Emperor. I don't need forgiveness."

Luke drew up beside Leia, searched her eyes. He was concerned by the pain and desperation he saw in her, while also being immensely relieved. She was still alive and very much herself – she had done well to withstand Palpatine and his provocations.

"Luke," she started, "Vader –"

He stopped her, pressing her hand gently. _I know_, his eyes said. He slipped the hood off his head, shrugged off the cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. To all appearances it seemed that he was simply comforting her, but she felt a concealed blaster bump into her thigh. He nodded to her in reassurance, before turning ice-cold eyes on the Emperor.

"What have you done to Leia?"

"A most unfortunate accident," Sidious drawled with no regret whatsoever. "She was caught in the crossfire."

"With Vader," Luke said as if it needed clarifying. He shook his head in censure as he ascended the first set of stairs. Leia limped after him, in pain but adamant not to leave Luke to face Palpatine on his own.

"Your Empire already destroyed Alderaan, your Majesty. And you attacked Lord Vader when he tried to prevent you from destroying Naboo. How many more planets will you threaten?"

Luke halted before the final steps, not wishing to be any closer. He could already feel the dark energy pressing on his nebula of light.

Leia spoke up. "Would you destroy Corellia? Denon? Corulag?" She had no idea where Luke was going with this but she could add to his efforts. They were all prominent planets in the Empire, populated by hundreds of species and, for the latter two, fiercely loyal to Palaptine. Sensing Luke's silent encouragement, she tilted her head and added, "Imperial Center?"

"I am the Master of the Sith!" Palpatine snarled. "I am the ultimate power in the galaxy. All planets are mine to use or destroy as I wish!"

"And what of the billions, _trillions_ of people who inhabit these worlds?" she pressed.

"They are insignificant," Palpatine spat. Inside, he was fuming. This was not how his introduction to the young Skywalker was supposed to go.

"Life is precious," Luke insisted. "You should not treat it so callously."

"You weren't so concerned when you blew up the first Death Star and murdered two million people," Sidious reminded.

"I had no choice! Alderaan had just been destroyed and Yavin 4 was under target – how many more systems would have followed? Your actions now speak for themselves; the Death Star _had_ to be destroyed. If there had been another way, I would have gladly taken it." Blue eyes narrowed. "Which is precisely what brings me here. This time, we have another way."

* * *

At the far end of the throne room, unnoticed by Palpatine, the doors closed silently and the elevator dropped away. In the quiet of the enclosed space there was a soft electronic whine.

Artoo didn't want to leave. He knew the Emperor was evil, he knew the Skywalker twins were in very great danger. He wanted to help. But Artoo also knew how vital his task was. Mindful of what the droid would do if he didn't, Luke had taken the time to make sure that Artoo understood how much hinged on this.

The crucial holorecording was in his databanks. He would transmit it to the given codes, then return for more.

* * *

Trann's left hand flew through the gestures – through the blast doors, a dozen on the left, two dozen on the right.

The scanner couldn't specify the exact number or positions of the heat sources but it would have to do. Madine nodded and they all readied their detonators. They would rush in, deal what damage they could, and withdraw.

Mezei set thermal charges all along the edges of the inner blast doors, a denotation overload. He hurried back to join the others crouched around the corner. Madine indicated _go_, Trann flicked the switch –

The explosion thundered down the corridor and left their ears ringing even with the built-in sonic wave disruptors in their helmets. They rushed in swiftly, utilising the blind spot created by the explosion –

And immediately they were forced to drop to the ground. They were in no man's land, right in the middle of an existing two-way battle. Heavy blaster fire rained overhead.

Barely had the thought occurred to Madine that they either needed to choose sides or withdraw, when a Wookiee's angry bellow decided for him.

"This way!" he shouted as he leaped into a low rolling dive behind a bank of abandoned computer consoles. Trann and Mezei were hot on his heels, throwing themselves down beside him. They were still caught in between the two factions but at least they now had cover from one side. As for the other –

"Chewbacca, is that you?" Madine shouted over the din of blaster fire.

"Who the hell are you?" came a shout back.

"It's Madine!"

A pause. "Hey there General, so good of you to join us!"

Madine now recognised the inappropriately cheerful response. "Solo? How in the galaxy did you end up here?"

"You sent us to fetch the Death Star, didn't you? So here we are!"

"You're _all_ here?"

"We sure are," Han yelled back as they continued to fire at the Imperials on the opposite side of the large control room. "Hey, is there anything you can do from there to break this damned stalemate?"

Madine had no idea how the task force they'd sent with Vader to Endor had managed to end up here but he wasn't about to complain. He assessed the layout of the room and their positions.

"Come on," he said to the two with him as he snuck further around the curving row of consoles. It took them far enough around that they could see some of the Imps hunkered down behind another bank of machines. They were well sheltered in prime position to fire down on the rebels, as Han's group likewise kept them penned in. Each side exchanged fire without being able to break the other's cover.

Madine saw the walkway that passed over the Imperials. He gave his orders to the two lads, then, "Ready?"

Both nodded.

Trann fired at the struts supporting the walkway. Madine began firing on any officer he could get his sights on. The Imps panicked at the sudden change in attack, began firing back –

The walkway fell away from the ceiling, scraped down the wall an ear-splitting screech and crashed down over them. Several officers were crushed, others managed to dive out of the way.

But that was when Mezei chucked a live charge right at the bank of consoles they were hiding behind, blowing up a good section of their cover as well as half of the officers.

Han's task force charged up towards them and quickly dispatched the rest.

Quiet descended on the room. "Secure the control room," Madine ordered, directing the rebel troops towards the three entrances.

Han surveyed the bedlam surrounding them and gave a lopsided grin. "Not bad, General."

Madine bit back his retort. Did Solo think he was a General for nothing? But, then again, he was also unexpectedly impressed. Solo might not be the most conventional of soldiers but Madine couldn't deny that his fellow Correllian achieved results. His being here in itself spoke volumes.

"Likewise, _General_," Madine replied with slight emphasis.

Han looked taken aback for a moment. Throughout the strategy briefing where he'd been appointed to lead the strike force to secure the Death Star, Madine had been in strong opposition.

Han nodded back, and the tension between them dissipated.

* * *

If a container clicks open in a deserted shuttle and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

In the darkness of the shuttle _Tydirium_ the latches on the large metal container flicked open. The whole thing parted in two, revealing an air-tight space within complete with life support. There was some shuffling through the shuttle and the empty hangar but none was present to bear witness.

* * *

_This time, we have another way_.

Did the boy realise he'd just served the upper hand to Sidious on a plate? The Sith Master affected an air of casual indfference.

"And here I was, thinking that you were here for the one everyone wanted." He indicated the Princess with a waving hand and was pleased to see the boy pause, lack of comprehension breaking his momentum.

"Luke, don't pay him any att –" Leia began to warn.

"It was the Princess your father wanted in the end," Sidious said over her. "While you – well, he tried to palm you off on me."

"I know my father," Luke replied with quiet confidence. "Your lies have no effect on me."

"Poor boy," Palpatine murmured. "The evidence is there, but are you brave enough to see it? At first you were all he had so of course he thought he cared for you somewhat. Darth Vader always was sentimental. But you were too well-balanced, too easy tempered to be easily turned to the Dark Side. He shared his grievances with me, you know."

It was possible, Luke secretly conceded. He could imagine the Darth Vader he had met in Cloud City reacting in such a way.

"We agreed that he needed to gain your trust," Palpatine continued. "He did anything and everything that needed to be done. He aided the rebellion, he even used the Light Side. It was essential for you to bond with him emotionally so that he could manipulate your feelings. Oh, some of it was true. He did hate me and he did want to destroy me. Whether he managed to turn you to the Dark Side or not, you would have been a crucial tool in that endeavour."

Palpatine hid a smile as the Jedi's flickering gaze betrayed his uncertainty. "But then he discovered he also had a daughter. She shared his fiery temper and already harboured great hatred and fear. She equalled your Force sensitivity but had much greater capacity for darkness." He intoned in mock sympathy, "You became redundant, my boy."

Leia grabbed Luke's arm. "Don't listen to him, Luke. He's been doing this to me too, trying to make me doubt, to make me angry. He's trying to drive you to the Dark Side."

"It won't work, Palpatine," Luke insisted against the doubt and resistance battling within.

"Of course not, you foolish boy," Palpatine said patronisingly. "As if it's really that simple."

But this was all part of the game – the Princess' fervent desperation not to lose Luke was equally as important as the Jedi's inner struggle. Sidious was a master in the art of manipulation and he could paint such a convincing picture as to make even the wisest of Jedi doubt themselves, and he had the added advantage of having known the inner workings of Darth Vader's mind. The prize of choosing his next apprentice from two Skywalker children was practically mouth-watering and he applied himself to the task with relish.

"When Vader discovered his daughter, his schemes changed. He still connived to have you join him in his attempt to kill me, but the purpose now was so that I would take you as my apprentice. I would have effectively taken you off his hands so that he was free to take the Princess as his own apprentice."

Luke was having to concentrate to keep his breathing steady. "He never asked me to help him," he argued.

"No, he would have done the exact opposite. He would have shown great reluctance in agreeing to let you fight with him." Palpatine grinned at the boy's telling silence. "It's a Skywalker trait, you know. Tell them to do one thing and you can be sure they will do precisely otherwise. Argue against letting you accompany him and he would have been assured of you being there every step of the way, delivering yourself neatly into my hands."

"Luke, it's not true," Leia urged softly.

Palpatine ignored her, glowered at the boy. "But Vader didn't count on me already being aware of the Princess, that I had arranged for her to visit me here. He came charging after her to reclaim her and paid the ultimate price for his troubles."

Luke's whole body was tense. It all fit – how else could Palpatine know?

"It's not true," he still insisted, but his earlier confidence was gone.

"You didn't _believe_ his sob stories, did you? About how _tragic_ his life was?" Palpatine's voice was scathing in its mockery. "There were elements of truth in it, to be sure, but his early life was nowhere near as convoluted as we made it out to be. Let's see, what fantastical account did we come up with? Oh yes, he was to be born into slavery – on Tatooine, of course, it was essential to share some common ground with you. Then he was to be freed by some Jedi Knights and a _Queen_, of all people, after winning some spectacular pod race, and leave his poor, _dear_ mother to train to be a Jedi knight." He cackled.

Darkness and despair clamoured all around. Could his father really have been manipulating him all this time?

"No, no," Palpatine continued, "the reality was dreadfully dull. He was simply picked up by the Jedi at a young age, as they all were in those days, and joined their Order. Although, it _was_ true that he met Amidala when he was a Jedi Knight and she was a Senator, and they fell in love despite all the constrictions of their social circles."

He sighed, shook his head. "It was difficult for him. The Jedi didn't appreciate his talents, and their rules banning attachment put him at odds with his love for Amidala. He eventually chose the Dark Side as a way to develop his true potential and be free to be with his wife."

Grim, yellow eyes locked on blue. "But she couldn't accept Darth Vader. He would never have told you this –"

Leia could see what was coming like a stampede of wild bursas barrelling towards them. She was frantic. "_Luke_ –"

"– and I hate to break the news to you now –"

"– _don't _–"

"Your father murdered Amidala."

Dead silence.

"He choked her with the Force, while you and your sister were still growing inside of her."

Luke closed his eyes. Palpatine grinned.

* * *

"Sir," X2 called.

Madine and Solo both headed over to where he was tapping away at a console.

X2 had hacked a terminal and was accessing the Imperial network. "There's good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Han asked.

"We can override the deflector shield control and deactivate it."

"Good," Madine said. "Then the Alliance Fleet will be able to destroy the Death Star."

"_After _we get everyone off this thing, right?" Han checked. He didn't know what the latest strategy was since the Emperor's holovised threat had changed the gameplan. "Leia's still onboard."

"There may be no choice, General," Madine replied gravely. "If it comes down to us or Naboo, the Alliance Fleet will not hesitate."

"But we're in control of the superlaser, Naboo's not in danger anymore."

"That's the bad news, sir," X2 interrupted.

They stared at him. There was a grim nervousness to the man's voice that they had never heard from the seasoned soldier before.

"We don't have control. The superlaser is run on an isolated network in the adjoining sector, I can't break into it from here."

"_What_?"

"That's not the worst of it." X2 cleared his throat and stepped back, revealing a countdown on the screen. "The superlaser is set to fire automatically on Naboo, maximum power, in less than half an hour."

* * *

Beyond the fierce battle raging above the Death Star, another fleet dropped out of lightspeed on a direct course for the Death Star.

The telltale outline of Mon Calamari Star Cruisers visible from afar immediately spelled their allegiance. Two Star Destroyers fastest off the mark swung towards them in a bid to break their course, but they were vastly outnumbered and the rebels might as well have had a clear run. As conspired by Ackbar, by the time other Star Destroyers and TIE fighters had managed to extricate themselves from the thick tangle of Imperial and Alliance ships to engage them, the secondary fleet was almost upon the Death Star.

Lando kept one eye on his scopes as he led the charge. "This is Gold Leader. All wings report in."

"Red Leader standing by," Wedge confirmed.

"White Leader standing by," Tycho said.

A swarm of TIE fighters detached itself from the main hub of fighting and screamed towards them.

"Rear guard," Lando sent over the com, "keep those Star Destroyers off our tails. All fighters target the TIEs."

The Imperial fleet found itself on the back foot battling two fronts, one side of which was facing rebels fresh into battle. The newly arrived battleships engaged the Star Destroyers in an all-out assault while the smaller starfighters clashed in furious dogfights. With the arrival of the X-wings came some of the Alliance's best pilots and the TIE fighters found themselves hard pressed. Despite the Imperials' greater number even with the two rebel fleets combined, the battle remained on an even keel.

Wes was tight on Tycho's wing. "Three of them coming in, twenty degrees!"

"Cut to the left," Tycho replied. "I'll take the leader."

"Watch yourself, Wedge," Lando warned as he spiralled the _Falcon_ between converging squads of TIE bombers. "Three from above."

"Red Two, Red Three, pull in." Wedge steered his formation in an evasive manoeuvre as they spun collectively on the pursuing TIEs.

Some well-placed shots later, all six TIEs exploded into oblivion.

* * *

All Luke felt was blessed relief. His father _had_ told him! It hadn't all been a lie! Palpatine was wrong!

His father hadn't just been trying to gain his trust to mould him into a tool to help defeat Palpatine. If that was the case then Anakin would never have mentioned his mother. His father had revealed all, regardless of the risk of losing his son, because he wanted to be honest with Luke, to genuinely be as a family. His connection to the Light Side flared with his rediscovered assurance.

How things might have been had Anakin not told him in Theed...!

'_I'm sorry to have doubted you, father_,' he sent. There was no response.

Luke wondered at how only a few minutes with the Emperor could have put him in so much doubt. With years of opportunity to manipulate his father, no wonder Anakin had been groomed for the Dark Side.

He opened his eyes, met Leia's worried gaze. She appeared to have been rendered mute by her concern for him.

"You knew?" he asked softly.

She hesitated. "I found out, just a little earlier..."

Inexplicably, he smiled, touched her cheek. "It's alright."

She frowned, not understanding how it could be.

He looked meaningfully into her eyes. "I was right, Leia."

Their father _was_ Anakin Skywalker, just as Luke had thought. There was joy and relief at this confirmation – but it was quickly eclipsed by her looming sense of regret that she had so coldly turned him away. And now it was too late...

Luke turned to the Emperor, standing tall. "My father _did_ tell me," he announced, with that ringing power back in his voice.

Palpatine's face soured hideously as he realised his blunder. He had underestimated the extent to which Vader had wanted to truly reconcile with his son.

"You've failed, your highness. I'm a Jedi, like my father before me."

Sidious rose from his throne. He advanced towards them until he was standing above them, only three steps between them. His white hands hung like those of a corpse before him, his face macabre.

"So be it. _Jedi_."

* * *

_Sometimes there are things no one can fix. You're not all-powerful, Ani._

Flesh on fire, nerve-endings ablaze –

_Something wonderful has happened. Ani – I'm pregnant._

– a cool caress that breathed awareness into his mind, that shimmered through his body and soothed away the agonising pain –

_Are you an angel?_

Anakin found he lacked the courage to open his eyes. What would he see in death? Had the Living Force accepted him?

There was a muted hum but otherwise all was quiet around him. He could hear that there was no respirator, he felt the faint caress of air over his face in the absence of the mask.

Anxiety plagued him. He had failed Leia. What would happen to her? What would happen to Luke? His son wouldn't sit quietly when he learned that this father had rushed off to the Death Star without him. There must be some way that Anakin could still save them...

It was this latter thought that drove him to open his eyes.

His first impression was a wash of grey. His eyes blurred, unable to determine any depth or distance. He strained to focus. Eventually, he came to the rather puzzling conclusion that he was staring at a flat ceiling.

How could the Living Force have a _ceiling_?

"Mmmmm..."

Anakin frowned. The ages-old familiar sound instantly conjured up images of cavernous hallways, circular council chambers and a ziggurat seating five enormous spires.

Surely not...

Anakin turned. And found himself gaping in shock. "... Master _Yoda_?"


	18. The cost of freedom – part 1

**A/N: **I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Hello again. I hope you can forgive me for the long hiatus in the middle of this final showdown, things were totally derailed this summer and any writing flew completely out the window. I've been slowly getting back into it though and all your reviews and PMs over the last few months have coaxed me back to this story. Thank you all!

Before launching back into this, for anyone patient enough to read author notes, I wanted to clarify what happened at the end of Chap 16 (the one before last):

_===  
Then, amidst the all-encompassing agony, the Force granted its Chosen One one more chance, one possible chance to survive._

_It had been his driving force for so many years, a formidable power ingrained in the very fibre of his being, still an integral part of him that had refused to be banished even as he had been reborn as Anakin Skywalker. But now, as he raced towards death's door, as the Force-bond to his former master stretched and frayed, then snapped altogether –_

_At long last, the Dark Side relinquished Anakin, and the Force reverberated with the death of Darth Vader.  
__===  
_

Several of you asked what Anakin was doing alive, or whether he _was_ alive, in Chap 17. My interpretation is that Vader and Anakin are two separate people in the Force, even if they inhabit the same body, and what happened here is that Anakin is finally free from the Dark Side. So no more Dark Side = no more Vader, but Anakin lives on... Clear as mud? Smashing.

So we're off again! To recap on what happened before, the battle starts roughly after Palpatine's summons at the end of Chap 14 – or if you have the time (or inclination!) you could always start again from the beginning! I reckon there might be another couple of chapters to go, and _possibly_ an epilogue (not decided yet). A special mention goes to _Thomas Holmes II_ for our most recent discussion on lightsaber forms which I drew on in this chapter. And as you can see from the fact that this is a 'part 1' we're not out of the woods yet...!

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer:** Hmm, if I owned SW would I be Jedi or Sith? *contemplatively stroking fake beard in an Obi-Wan-esque manner*  
(Does that even count as a disclaimer? You know what I mean! Not mine – though now it seems it's no longer George's either! Shocking, I bet even Old Wrinkleface didn't foresee that one.)

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 18. The cost of freedom – part 1**

_"Welcome, young Skywalker. We have been expecting you."_

Piett hadn't been idling his time away since his commander had gone to battle. Oh no, far from it.

_"Emperor Palpatine, you have overreached yourself. You will not be forgiven for threatening Naboo."_

Top priority official summons had been dispatched to the most capable and influential officers of the upper echelons of Imperial command, quelling any refusal with the indisputable weight of Lord Vader's authority.

_"I am the Galactic Emperor. I don't need forgiveness."_

Those esteemed men had been rather... _miffed_, to put it mildly, when Piett had informed them that he would be addressing them in Lord Vader's stead. Never for a mere Fleet Admiral would the Grand Moffs and Moffs, Grand Admirals, Admirals and Generals of the Empire have high-tailed their way halfway across the galaxy to the Kalinda system with no notice whatsoever.

_"What have you done to Leia?"_

_"A most unfortunate accident, she was caught in the crossfire."_

_"With Vader..__."_

But here was the _pièce de résistance_, the priceless holorecording courtesy of Skywalker's droid revealing the closed-door encounter between the Galactic Emperor and the most (in)famous Jedi of their time.

_"__Your Empire already destroyed Alderaan, your Majesty. And you attacked Lord Vader when he tried to prevent you from destroying Naboo. _How many more planets will you threaten?"

_"Would you destroy Corellia? Denon? Corulag? ... Imperial Center?"_

_"I am the Master of the Sith! I am the ultimate power in the galaxy. All planets are mine to use or destroy as I wish!"_

There was no hint of the officers' previous ire now as the usually placid Emperor snarled overhead. Piett had never seen such a large auditorium of people so completely stunned to silence.

_"And what of the billions, trillions of people who inhabit these worlds?" _

_"They are insignificant."_

Was that somebody gasping? Piett kept an amused eye on the sea of frozen astonished faces. A few even appeared as if they might faint. He quirked a brow. Should he have prepared medics?

_"Life is precious. You should not treat it so callously."_

_"You weren't so concerned when you blew up the first Death Star and murdered two million people."_

There were no murmurs of festering resentment as usually occurred in Imperial circles whenever that incident was mentioned. Only dead silence, their anticipation for the Jedi's reply hanging in the air.

_"I had no choice! Alderaan had just been destroyed and Yavin 4 was under target – how many more systems would have followed? Your actions now speak for themselves; the Death Star had to be destroyed. If there had been another way, I would have gladly taken it." _

They stared at the back of this Jedi's head, his stony expression easy to imagine listening to his unyielding, resonant voice.

_"Which is precisely what brings me here. This time, we have another way."_

The luminous scene of the Death Star's Throne Room disappeared, leaving some of the men blinking and others glaring into thin air from below contracted brows.

It had been a long hour. Piett had had them escorted directly to the briefing auditorium as soon as they had set foot aboard the _Executor_ and explained the imminent overhaul of leadership. Heated outbursts had been reasoned with and a few violent punctuations suppressed by stormtroopers personally loyal to Darth Vader while Piett waited for the transmission that could make or break this deal. But it had been well worth the wait. However much Piett could reason or detail the facts, nothing could seal the coffin more absolutely than the Emperor himself, and their not-so-benevolent ruler had done the job splendidly.

Piett rotated in his seat to face the shocked assemblage, eyes locking onto any who returned his hard gaze. Not many did, startled as they were to have the very foundation and figurehead of their faith in the Empire revealed to be a farce. No longer could they be assured that their homeworld would be safe from the homicidal despot who seemed all too eager to blow up his own. No longer could there be any blind hope that their faithful allegiance would be reciprocated by the Emperor.

Piett glanced across to the captains of Death Squadron. Their loyalty couldn't be questioned while Vader followed the Emperor's will, but whether their allegiance would still hold now that Vader had asserted his challenge remained to be seen. Piett hoped that he had done enough.

His voice carried easily in the well-designed acoustics of the auditorium.

"This recording will be broadcast across the HoloNet in one hour. By that point, either Naboo will be destroyed, or the Emperor will be dead." He surveyed their grim and shaken expressions. "Your families, every person you know, all those who are important to you, will know the truth of the Emperor. If you and they are fortunate enough to survive this battle and see each other again, what is it that you will tell them? That you aided Palpatine in the genocide of his own people and your own people could become the next target? Or that you fought to safeguard the future of the galaxy under my command?"

There was a moment of stunned quiet, some still pondering on the gravity of it all, before they realised exactly what he'd just said.

"_Your_ command?" someone challenged.

That was all it took for the room to erupt.

"Who do you think you are –!"  
"– refuse to take orders from –!"  
"– absolutely outrageous –!"  
"– nothing but a Fleet Admiral –!"  
"– report for Naval discipline –!"  
"– what gives you the right –!"

Piett held up a hand. When they had sufficiently quietened to disgruntled murmurs he dropped the bomb in a steely voice of authority.

"_I_ will command because I outrank every officer in this room. Prior to Lord Vader's departure for the Death Star he appointed me the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces."

Dead silence. One could have heard a rank pin drop.

"There's no such position," somebody eventually challenged.

"Check your missives," Piett riposted.

Enough was enough. Flanked by an imposing phalanx of Vader's stormtroopers, he rose to his feet and delivered his ultimatum. "As of this moment, each and every one of you are on notice. Swear your allegiance to Lord Vader, or you will be relieved of your titles and ranks effective immediately."

* * *

"Master Yoda?"

Saying it a second time made no difference. In much the same fashion as he'd often seen shoddy engineers puzzling blankly over complex schematics, Anakin stared dumbfounded at the diminutive Jedi master.

"... Are we dead?" It was the only possible explanation that came to him.

Those elongated ears perked up and impossibly large eyes widened, before an amused chuckle that always sounded like a cough escaped those wide lips. Yoda eventually subsided, caught his breath.

"Not yet. Sick have I become. Old and weak. But strong am I with the Force."

It still wasn't sinking in. Anakin struggled to connect the elusive dots. "How –?"

"Trained with me Luke did, after Obi-Wan's passing. Brought me with him when he came, found you I did on the edge there."

Luke was here! – wherever _here_ was. That thought had Anakin sitting up in a hurry and much to his surprise he found that he could.

It wasn't just his body; his mind also straightened up, focused, and the Force surged through him once more, filling and purifying every nook and cranny of his being like fresh meltwater pouring into the lakes of Naboo.

Immediately he was aware of the conspicuous lack of darkness – he was attuned entirely to the Light Side! With the Dark Side having been a part of him for the greater portion of his life, its poison having taken root years before the downfall of the Jedi, the shocking contrast of its absence now was almost akin to when he had discovered Luke and Leia.

He stretched out in his rebirth, revelling in his freedom, immersing himself in the Force and extending himself into it in return –

There was another presence so vast and far-reaching that he might not have noticed it at all had the small green figure not been squatted beside him. Merging with and diffused through the very fabric of the Force, hidden in plain sight, was Yoda's presence so gargantuan that it was almost indistinguishable from the Force itself. Was this an illusion or had the Jedi Master somehow become even more powerful in his even-older old age?

The helmet and mask, its visors smashed beyond use, lay discarded a short fling away on the lip of the passageway's opening to the reactor shaft – so he was still on the Death Star. This only made Master Yoda's presence beside him all the more surreal. There was no sign of his lightsaber, although that was hardly a surprise. Fissured white lines had been burned onto his armour, the chest controls dead of its familiar blinking lights. He looked a wreck.

But inside he realised that he had actually felt worse. Much worse. There was a general background ache in what remained of his organic body but it was nothing compared to what it ought to have been after enduring Force lightning of that magnitude.

"You healed me?"

There was a familiar _mmmmm_ of confirmation.

Yoda was still hunkered down beside him, his triple-clawed hand resting on a gimer stick – surely that couldn't be the _same_ stick...? If it hadn't been for the topping of silvery hair that seemed to have thinned to only a few wisps, if it hadn't been for the general air of _age_ that lingered in that leathery, lined skin that seemed even more leathery and lined than in his memories, Anakin would have believed this a dream – or that he was truly dead, contrary to Yoda's insistence. But surely nobody would look quite so _fossilized_ in the Living Force...?

Yoda tilted his head, peered at him with half-lidded eyes. "That face you make. Look I so old to young eyes?"

Anakin fought to wipe the grave expression off his face. It didn't come naturally after two decades of hiding in the mask. "No, of course not," he tried to assure.

"I do. Yes, I do," Yoda murmured, unperturbed. He flared with amusement. "When nine hundred years old _you_ reach, look as good _you_ will not, hmm?"

The Jedi Master's good humour only served to wedge the blade of guilt deeper. "Master Yoda..."

He trailed off as his heart pulled in two polar directions. Even in his wildest dreams he had never imagined that he would ever see Yoda again, and suddenly finding himself face to face with the ultimate figurehead of the Jedi Order that he had betrayed and annihilated, he was agonizingly aware of how much needed to be said. But his eyes flicked down the corridor...

The Jedi Master easily understood his dilemma. "Need you, they do. Go to them you must," he said kindly.

Anakin nodded mutely but something still held him in place, a metaphorical boulder that bore down on him, while all the while the invisible string continued heaving on his heart trying to drag him away. There was little time.

"I –"

The words grated and stuck in his throat like sawdust. Much as when he'd attempted to apologise to Leia, he was struck by the sheer inadequacy of any words he could put together. How could any apology ever come close to being sufficient? It couldn't, was the blunt answer.

But if Yoda had already floored him by materialising on the Death Star, it was nothing compared to the words that followed. "Failed you, I have. Extend my own apology, I must."

Anakin was vaguely aware of his jaw trailing somewhere along the floor.

"Rigid we were in following the Jedi Code – guided us it should have, not dictated. Complacent the Jedi had become. Evolve, we did not; adapt, we did not. Blind and inflexible we were." The lines on Yoda's face became even more pronounced, the long ears drooped. "Terrible, unspeakable, your deeds have been. But bear the responsibility alone, you do not. Turned to the Order for guidance and sought my advice you did, but prepare you to fight the darkness, we did not. Blameless, we are not, for our own fall."

Anakin suspected that either his hearing or his brain or both must have been damaged. _He_ had destroyed the Order and brought the galaxy to its knees, and _Yoda_ was apologising to _him_?

"Master Yoda –"

"Great change, the Jedi Order needed," Yoda interrupted, having none of his objections. "The will of the Force, this might have been. A new beginning this is."

"But –"

A very sharp jab of the gimer stick made him swallow any more words. "Your repentance I do not doubt. Returned to the Light Side you have. Say no more you must, young Jedi."

Anakin blinked hard as his eyes burned and blurred.

Yoda's voice was suddenly very gentle. "In grave danger the younglings are. Go to them you must."

Anakin nodded and hauled himself to his feet. He turned expectantly but the ancient Jedi shook his head.

"A different task I must perform. Part again our paths must."

Anakin hesitated. Then firmly, willing it to be true in every way: "We will see you later."

"May the Force be with you, Anakin Skywalker."

"And with you, Master Yoda."

* * *

"– _yes_, Admiral, that's what I've been telling you –"  
"– he can barely take care of himself, let alone rescue anybody –"

"– but it changes nothing, our plans have no bearing on the fact –"  
"– someone should've told us earlier –"

"– that Vader's here!"  
"– that Luke's here!"

Madine and Han both threw themselves to the floor to duck the smattering of blasterfire overhead before continuing their respective conversations.

"We're far from finished here, Admiral," Madine urged into his comlink as he gunned down a stormtrooper who'd been too slow to dive for cover. "We're pressing on to gain control of the superlaser."

_The superlaser control room is just below the Throne Room_, Chewie growled as Han fired down the long corridor.

"Good, then we'll go with Madine most of the way then split," Han yelled back.

Chewie aimed his bowcaster at a metal casing protruding from the wall – the fuselage exploded, blowing away half the wall with it and the stormtroopers nearby.

"Go!" Madine shouted, rushing the squad through the gap into an adjoining, less populated corridor.

* * *

"Sir, we're losing forward deflector shields! Down to forty percent!"

Intense firepower continued raining down on the Star Destroyer _Chimaera_ from both the _Valiance_ and the _Justice_. The shield generators already under heavy assault were taxed further as several teams of X-wings joined the fray.

"Thirty-five percent, sir!"

Grand Moff Kaine stood frozen on the bridge of the _Chimaera_, hands clasped behind his back so tightly that they had long gone numb. In the privacy of his high-strung thoughts he generously cursed Piett and Vader and the rebels and everyone and anyone he could think of. He still had no idea how Vader's sly Admiral had managed to sabotage the _Reaper_ in the first place, but now the over-promoted man from the Outer Rims was also somehow turning his small triumph in managing to attend the Peace talks despite his Super Star Destroyer being out of commission into one giant catastrophe.

"Thirty percent!" the communications controller shouted again.

"Alright, already," Kaine barked back. "Break formation! Evasive manoeuvres!"

Behind him Admiral Strage ground his teeth as several brows rose in surprise right across the bridge. The Grand Moff was an idiot, he couldn't have found his own nose if someone had punched it – something Strage was sorely tempted to do right now – let alone lead a battle that ought to have been a foregone conclusion. Kaine had no idea of how to organise their superior number to maximum devastation, how they could most effectively target the rebel's tough battlecruisers, how to manipulate the enemy into taking risks they didn't want to take.

So far it had mostly been a blundering free-for-all with only localised efforts at strategy, but just as Kaine had come up with his first sensible suggestion of coordinating their attacks to trap the rebel battleships, he now wanted to turn tail and run simply because the Star Destroyer _Visage_ had been destroyed and a second rebel fleet had arrived!

He tried to reason. "The main assault is focused off the port bow, Grand Moff, we could redirect power from the aft and –"

"You heard me, Admiral," Kaine snapped, irritated at this obvious suggestion. Of course the Admiral was right but Kaine didn't like being shown up.

"Twenty-five percent!"

"We still outnumber them, sir. We need only deploy to our advantage –"

"You have my orders, Admiral. Captain Pellaeon," Kaine said, giving the order directly to Strage's First Officer. "Evasive manoeuvres."

It was ridiculous – Star Destroyers didn't _evade_ when under fire, they _retaliated_. Pallaeon glanced at his Admiral for confirmation.

Strage tried again. "But then the _Justice_ would escape, we almost have them! With all due respect, sir –"

"Admiral Horst Strage, if you are incapable of following my orders, you will be replaced with somebody who can!"

The bridge stopped as one, collectively waiting on the Admiral's call. For five gloriously thrilling seconds Strage actually entertained the prospect of leading his whole crew to mutiny... before he relented. If there was anything worse than having this idiot of a Grand Moff commandeer his bridge, it was having this idiot of a Grand Moff commandeer his bridge without him being there to curb the worst blunders.

With great reluctance he nodded to his Captain. It wasn't lost on any of them that the men only followed Kaine's order on his approval. It was small consolation to think that his men would likely have followed him whatever his decision had been.

"Twenty percent!"

Kaine simmered in resentment and considered how to rid himself of this officer who dared to question his authority. An idea struck him and he hid a smile at his ingenuity. He would trip Strage up at his own game. "Admiral, bring those rebel ships down."

Strage awaited further instructions, but as Kaine simply continued viewing the battle around them through the giant viewscreens with his back turned, Strage saw straight through him and any last scrap of regard still reserved due to the Grand Moff's rank was destroyed. Kaine knew he couldn't do the job himself so he was setting Strage up to take the fall. It was the lowest of the low.

And yet it was very welcome. This was exactly the card he needed and it was far better than mutiny – he couldn't even be court-martialled for it. He deliberately misinterpreted Kaine's vague order to a scale that he knew the Grand Moff had never intended.

"Very well, sir," Strage acknowledged stiffly as though he was following orders, signalling to one of the communications controllers who promptly began patching the Admiral's com to the whole fleet. "As per your direct order, I will take over command of the battle."

Kaine spun red-faced on the Admiral but Strage had already received a nod from his chief shield operator – the only signal needed to confirm that power had already been rerouted to forward shields – and now promptly spoke over the fleet-wide com.

"This is Admiral Strage. Grand Moff Kaine has ordered me to take over command. All Star Destroyers deploy on my mark."

* * *

Cool blue on glowing yellow, Jedi and Sith locked eyes. Light against Dark, the Force seethed, roiling and volatile –

Until with a lazy blink, Palpatine leisurely turned his back.

Luke follwed his every move with wary suspicion as the Emperor ambled back to the Throne. Leia's uncertain gaze flickered to him and he gave a small shake of his head. _Not yet_.

"How do you think it will feel, my young Jedi?" came the mockingly sympathetic voice. "To know that you could have saved Naboo, if only you hadn't failed to take the opportunity?"

Luke let the taunting wash over him, kept himself detached. "Naboo will be unharmed. It's over for you, Palpatine."

The Emperor cackled. "And yet, here I am, still on the Throne, and there you are, attending me. You lack the courage to strike, young Skywalker. Naboo is lost."

"The Death Star will not fire." A calm statement of fact.

"Perhaps you refer to the imminent double attack of your Rebel friends."

Luke's gaze sharpened, the only outward expression of his spike of anxiety.

Sidious grinned, enjoying the Jedi's shock immensely. "Everything is transpiring according to my design. Your friends, stumbling their way through the Death Star as we speak, are walking into a trap. And your Rebel Fleet will soon be lost. Come, boy, see for yourself."

He waved at the viewport surrounding him. Neither Luke nor Leia needed to step any closer to see the immense sea of Star Destroyers surrounding the flickering flashes of exploding Rebel ships.

"From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance, and the end of your insignificant Rebellion."

Luke's hand itched to reach for his lightsaber but he quelled the urge. He was not in the right frame of mind and knew that going on the offensive now would only invoke the Dark Side. He could feel Leia's attention on him again, her gaze bordering on desperation. He gave another shake of his head. _Wait_.

He withdrew from the growing agitation building inside, focused on resettling his calm.

Sidious was aware of something that the young Skywalker was not and he deliberately continued addressing the Jedi to keep attention away from the true object of his machinations. Distaste coloured his words. "Your _friends _on the Death Star will soon be dead, all the hundreds of pilots and the thousands aboard your battleships will perish. It is all just a matter of time."

Luke wasn't entirely calm but neither was he letting the words affect him. "It's useless, Palpatine. The Sith will not see victory this day."

There was a ripple in the Force, a warning of great calamity a moment before there was an unnatural green flash –

"No!" Leia rushed forwards, frantic eyes chasing the streak of light.

* * *

The bright green laserbeam zoomed through space, slammed into the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser _Maria_, and blew it to dust. The tremendous shockwaves radiated out, sweeping up the _Retaliator_ with which the _Maria _had been in close combat and snapping the Star Destroyer into two clean halves of fore and aft, and shattering dozens of starfighters which couldn't distance themselves fast enough, buffeting a multitude of others.

Wedge's X-wing groaned, almost being pulled apart before the shockwaves passed. He had barely steadied before he had to bank hard, avoiding the charge of five TIE fighters that came tearing towards him.

"That blast came from the Death Star!" Lando exclaimed from another section of the battle.

Even in the utter chaos Wedge had one eye on his scopes and he saw something concerning. He flicked his comlink over to the closed frequency with squadron leaders and _Home One_.

"Admiral Ackbar, this is Red Leader. The Star Destroyers here are converging into formations."

The _Dominator_ was aligning with another Star Destroyer and he charged his trio of X-wings through the tight gap.

"Here too, Admiral," Lando agreed.

"It is the same throughout their fleet," Ackbar stated. "Analysis of their deployment indicates that they're changing tactics. Star Destroyers are converging into formations and coordinating their attacks, targeting shield generators, cannons, gun turrets, and particular weaknesses depending on ship design."

"Looks like they've had a change in leadership," Rieekan said grimly.

The _Falcon_ shuddered from a head-on proton torpedo hit but the damage was mostly absorbed by the shields. Lando held collision course with the offending TIE Bomber until the last possible moment before he spun away, just in time to leave the Imp to smash into the TIE fighter that had been in pursuit in the shadow of the _Falcon_'s girth. "Then let's show'em what we're made of."

* * *

Leia rounded on the Emperor, seated on the throne only feet away. "Stop this!"

Palpatine's face was a picture of dark contentment. He spread his pale hands. "It is out of my control."

Luke was much more calm but no less insistent. "Give the order to cease fire."

The Emperor smiled nonplussed. "It would make no difference. The superlaser controls have been set and buried under millions of layers of encryption, the codes themselves have been destroyed and it will take hours to break. There is nothing that can be done to change it, no matter what orders I give. The superlaser will now fire once every two minutes, targeting Rebel battleships at random. Until it is time."

Luke glanced at Leia; her intense gaze was fixed on the Emperor.

"The time for ...?" Luke asked quietly. He experienced a very unhealthy desire to tear the despicable grin off that scarred face.

"Surely you haven't forgotten, my young Jedi? When I invited you aboard the Death Star I gave you a countdown." The ugly smile stretched further. "Soon we hit zero and Naboo will be no more."

"How could you do this?" Leia hissed incredulously. "Your homeplanet! Your own people!"

Palpatine rose like a dark spectre from the throne, contempt hardening his façade. "I am Sith! No planet, no _people_, has any claim on _me_."

He stepped around the throne to the viewport to regard the flickering battle spread out around them, just as another flash of green illuminated the Throne Room. The superlaser beam struck what appeared from this distance to be a Kesselian blockade runner, blowing it into a million pieces.

The Emperor's gravelly voice was full of dark triumph. "The Rebellion is finished, the Jedi are no more, and once you are both dead there will be none left to challenge me. I am the ultimate power in the galaxy!"

Luke's absolute rejection of that statement was the final catalyst, the pivotal point from faltering preparation to deadly calm. He was ready. Anchored in the Force, the connection vibrant and powerful, he regarded the Emperor. Sensing the shift in his presence, Palpatine turned to face him.

"You're correct on one score, this ends here," Luke stated matter-of-factly as he floated his lightsaber into hand, not bothering to hide the motion. "But it ends between us. Between Jedi and Sith."

Without further ado he brought the green blade to life. Unhurried but unwavering in his intent, he climbed the remaining steps and held out his free hand for Leia to step back.

Palpatine eyed him derisively as he approached, seemingly not even bothering to defend himself. Luke, however, wasn't fooled. He closed the distance at the same measured pace, gripped his lightsaber in both hands, raised it without preamble, swung –

The Sith blade flashed to life. For the briefest moment it was drawn back horizontally alongside Palpatine's face, the red glow illuminating the animalistic snarl and lips drawn back over rotting teeth, eyes glowing yellow from the shadows of the cowled hood –

Sidious became a horizontal hurricane, spinning through the air, a vortex of destruction propelled by the Dark Side. But faster than the physical eye could track, Luke was a blur of movement as he slipped past the abrupt attack, knocking the red lightsaber aside.

Continuing the movement, utilising the momentum, he swung in an arch at the back of the Emperor's head –

Palpatine was no longer there. He moved so quickly that he might as well have teleported, unleashing a series of ferocious attacks from behind.

Luke spun, hacking down to avoid amputation. Blocking high, mid, high again then low, swiping across at a slither of an opening before he was back on the defensive.

* * *

They had been scaling mile after mile of pipes, all disgustingly, spotlessly clean but without a single cleaning bot in sight.

"You'd've thought we would've seen a droid or something by now," Han mumbled as they continued navigating through the service ducts in the highest levels of the Death Star.

X2 swung across to a parallel network of pipes. "The whole station's on security lockdown, anything that could transport detonators or arms are offline."

"I'm not complaining, it makes it easier for us to dupe the security recordings," Madine said from behind them. "Nothing to give us away."

"I don't like it," Han grumbled. "It's too quiet."

"Yeah, too easy," X2 agreed. "We're already alongside the superlaser control room. The Thone Room is just above us."

"Keep alert. An eye on the scopes at all times," Madine reminded the rest of the squad working in tandem, one of them always keeping watch while the others shimmied along.

Han waited, hanging from suspension wires until Madine climbed up alongside. "General," Han murmured quietly, "Chewie and I have to go. We... we've got something we gotta do."

Madine frowned, opening his mouth to ask what Han thought he was doing leaving the group at such a crucial time, but then he must have seen the answer on the Corellian's face. He gave a firm, encouraging nod. "Go. Do what you have to do, General. For all of us."

Han nodded back, equally determined. "C'mon Chewie," he called as he swung away and headed up.

* * *

Even from the first few blows Luke noted how remarkably different Sidious' style of fighting was. With his father or Yoda there was still a subtle configuration to their forms, an underlying structure of movement despite the variation and adaptability of their attacks.

Sidious, however, was a completely unpredictable entity. Sharp jabs one moment then wide forceful swings the next, a flurry of light flicking slashes followed by deep, lunging blows. He flew about as though his aged body was of no hindrance, leaping and attacking through the air with astonishing agility.

The only constant – and it wasn't an encouraging one – was that he was always blindingly fast.

It required every ounce of Luke's concentration to hold his ground, drawing constantly on the Force to block and parry and dodge the vast range of attacks raining down on him from all angles. He barely noticed Leia looking on with growing anxiety at the blurry mass of red and green that looked like twenty sabers instead of two, her hands clasped on the bridge railing, knuckles white...

But then, a glimmer of hope. Just the faintest hint but Luke instantly noticed, so intensely was he focused on the Emperor's every movement.

And there! Again!

The switch from the Force-imbued blows that sent Luke's boots skidding backwards to the sudden dodge aside with a cut aimed under his guard was just the tiniest, infinitesimal bit slower.

And gradually it became more obvious, the Emperor's movements becoming fractionally slower and weaker, until the two were on a more even footing and Luke could press his own fair share of advantage while parrying the attacks still ferociously beating at him with every other blow exchanged.

Leia's elation bubbled on the edge of his awareness but Luke strictly maintained his focus. Ever so cautiously, he began testing the cracks in Palpatine's guard. He purposefully let some opportunities by so as not to reveal all his cards just yet, but he came close enough to delivering serious injury and forced Palpatine on the defence.

Back and forth they went, raining blows on each other, parrying and countering, pushing and pulling with the Force, closing in for close-quarter combat and drawing away again out of reach or for long-range strikes. They circled the throne, leaped up and down the steps, and traversed to and fro across the wide expanse of polished floor with Sidious snarling away like an enraged rancor while Luke grit his teeth in quiet resolve.

Luke sensed a twitch in the Dark Side just as the Emperor dove forwards in an attempt to disembowel him. Luke didn't know if he had propelled himself or if the Force had flung him, but he was abruptly launching through the air, both legs swinging over the attack as he twisted and blocked in mid-air. He'd barely landed before he launched a dizzying series of counterattacks. Sending the Emperor off balance, he drew back behind the throne.

He managed to collect himself, to control his surprise at his unusual display of acrobatics – perhaps Palpatine's vast array of fighting styles was inspiring his own creativity – before the yellow-eyed fiend was again attempting to send him packing to the Netherworld of the Force.

But Palpatine, while still moving too fast to be followed without aid of the Force, had slowed again another notch and Luke's opportunity came. Deflecting a low strike he circled his momentum back in towards the neck, and as soon as Palpatine began the expected block that would briefly leave his right ribs exposed due to having to compensate for the throne's backrest close at his elbow, Luke dipped his saber for an inescapable slice –

The Force blared in warning –

Out of the blue, in a double combination so instantaneous that even with his Force-enhanced senses Luke struggled to follow it, Sidious smashed the green lightsaber aside and lunged for the kill right inside Luke's guard –

It was pure instinct as he jerked his head back and swiped his blade across. Palpatine's deflected lightsaber seared a blaze across his left bicep. Luke retreated as fast as he could backpedal while scrabbling to regain his footing, blindly blocking the ceaseless deluge of attacks delivered so swiftly that he only had a vague sense of them. And then the glare of the red tip filled his vision and fire errupted down his right cheek.

He did the only thing he could – heaving on the Force he exploded outwards, knocking Sidious back a step. It bought him but a scant moment's reprieve, but it was all he needed to throw himself into the air with the only coherent objective to distance himself as far as possible.

* * *

His brow knitted together, arms crossed and fingers drumming, Anakin glanced back and forth between the various miniature holorecordings flickering before him. If it wasn't one of many frequent patrols of stormtroopers then it was some officer or other marching along with all the affected air of one pretending to be on important business, doing an unusually efficient job of impeding his progress.

Just as he was earnestly beginning to consider the implications of barging through the Death Star as he was, unmasked for all to see, one of the holoviews caught his attention.

A short, squat droid, moving smoothly unlike the naturally undulating motion of walking bipeds –

Waving his fingers at the three officers staring blankly into thin air to release them from their trance, he slipped out of the security checkpoint station. Dashing from one dark doorway to another and confusing any passing stormtroopers into wondering blankly away, he swiftly made his way and found the unmistakable astromech droid.

He ducked into a quiet corridor nearby. "Hey, over here!" he whispered.

The droid recognised his natural voice immediately and sped over in a flurry of relieved trills.

Anakin crouched beside him. "Boy am I glad to see you, Artoo."

Artoo buzzed in dejection, splatting a raspberry for emphasis.

"Aren't they just," Anakin agreed in frustration. "They're usually a bunch of nerfs but the one time we _want_ them to be useless, they're actually on alert! I might just have to knock them all out to get past them."

Artoo bleeped questioningly and projected the Death Star schematics, zooming along a possible route.

Anakin glanced over the network of blue lines leading exactly where he needed to go. "Of course! That's brilliant, Artoo."

The droid beeped mournfully.

"No, you won't be able to go that way." Anakin rested a gloved hand on the shiny head. "Don't worry, I'll be there soon and they'll be fine. But there _is_ something else that would be perfectly suited to your talents, will you help?"

* * *

The _Braha'tok_-class Dornean gunship _Torktarak_ exploded under the combined bombardment of the _Denunciator_ and the _Imputator_.

A TIE Defender barrelled through the dispersing dust cloud, barely missing the _Falcon_'s curved disc. As soon as the TIE had whooshed past Lando threw Han's ship on its tail.

"Let 'im have it, Ace," he called over the shipboard comm.

"He won't even see it coming," Azzameen boasted from the gun turret.

The Defender's shielding was quickly overpowered by the _Falcon_'s modified quad laser cannons and within seconds it exploded into a shower of bright fragments.

That dreaded green superlaser flashed again and this time the Corellian gunship _Mastala_ was blown to smithereens.

"Admiral, we're running out of time," Lando called over the private comm.

"I agree, the Alliance Fleet will not last long under this sustained attack," Ackbar replied. There were some seconds as he presumably conferred with others before he continued. "General Madine and General Solo can deactivate the shield. Commence your attack on the Death Star's main reactor."

It hadn't been the _shield_ that he'd been hoping for them to deactivate. There was a noticeable delay before Lando acknowledged gravely, "We're on our way."

He schooled his voice into something more befitting a General before speaking authoritatively into the open comm. "Red Group, Gold Group, all fighters follow me, we're commencing our attack on the Death Star's main reactor. Green Group, join White Group and provide cover. Grey Squadron, Blue Squadron, maintain positions and defend our cruisers."

* * *

"Luke!"

He landed in a crouch down on the main floor. He was breathing heavily, both from physical exertion as well as the intense focus of applying the Force to temper the blazing pain on his cheek and arm.

"Luke?"

He sensed her step towards him from his right and he gently nudged her back with the Force. '... _I'm OK, Leia_.'

Luke warily eyed the motionless figure at the top of the steps, two glowing yellow orbs floating amidst dark shadows. Sidious hadn't been fatigued at all. The gradual reduction in speed and strength had merely been a ploy to draw Luke in and provoke him into making the exact attack that he'd made, one that would have left the red lightsaber bedded into his lung had he not been so connected to the Force. It had been a flawless trap and he'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker, though fortunately not so completely for the final execution.

"Clever," he acknowledged. He flexed his left arm – painful, but still usable.

"Wasn't it?" Palpatine waved a hand at him graciously. "Rather impressive yourself. You ought to be dead."

As Palpatine slipped his lightsaber away in his robes and began descending the steps from the dais, Luke rose from his crouch, lightsaber clutched in his prosthetic hand. The Emperor drew to a halt at the base of the steps, a mere ten paces separating them.

"But what a pity," he intoned, not sounding sorry in the least. "That it was all a wasted effort."

Sidious snapped his arm wide. Force lightning blasted out towards Leia –

Luke's hand flew out, the Force pulsing, knocking Leia backwards out of its path –

But the spidery blue lines of light arced through the air, bending in like a curve ball, and slammed into Luke.

He didn't hear his own scream as white-hot pain ate through every cell of his body. He might have been torn limb from limb or diced up by Palpatine's lightsaber, it wouldn't have made the blindest bit of difference. There was no thought, only an eternity of excruciating agony raging through him –

Abruptly, the inferno abated and he toppled back into his mind, every sense and nerve ablaze. He found himself on the floor, his prosthetic hand practically in seizure around his inactivated lightsaber.

Through the haze came a bone-chilling realisation – the Emperor had been concealing the full extent of his abilities. An unbridled conduit of the Dark Side, there seemed to be no restraint to the power he could deal out other than his own twisted desire to play with his victim.

Luke heard enraged shouting, and running footsteps which were abruptly cut off in an _umph_. He could sense enough through the Force to know the Emperor had hit his sister away.

_Leia_...

Drawing heavily on the soothing energy of the Force and grasping at the railings, he pulled himself shakily to his feet.

"Jedi fool," Sidious snarled. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side!"

The Force lightning erupted from both gnarled hands and shot directly forwards. Luke only just managed to activate his lightsaber in the nick of time.

* * *

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Not even a blip?"

X2 shook his head after rescanning through multiple calibrations and turning up identical results, just the lingering heat readings from the bodies of stormtroopers scattered about them. "We can't get any reading through those blast doors, sir."

"Me neither," Trann said, checking the small screen on his own scanner.

"What do we know about the layout?" Madine pressed.

X2 activated a miniature hologram of the blueprints he'd lifted earlier from the Imperial network and traced various lines as he explained. "Three rooms, doorways aligned centrally, we'll enter from the side of the first. The second also connects with the elevator shaft up to the Throne Room, the last is the superlaser control room."

"Sounds easy enough," Mezei said.

Trei frowned. "Except we'll be going in blind."

"And we can be sure there'll be heavy resistance in there," Madine added.

"Bah, the egg heads are tired and useless," Mezei argued.

A vacant look passed over X2's face. "They know we're coming."

Trann waved at the fallen bodies around them. "But we blocked their outgoing comm signals."

X2 shook his head. "No... They already knew. This bunch was just a ruse."

Madine threw him a curious glance. "You're beginning to sound like Commander Skywalker, Lieutenant."

X2 affected a casual shrug. "Just a hunch, sir." The Alliance High Command knew of his colourful history as former stormtrooper turned Jedi collaborator turned Rebel, but his Force sensitivity wasn't something he wanted them to know about yet. Skywalker alone knew that he was one of the two cloned in secret from the Jedi Knight Falon Grey by the Kaminoans and he wanted to keep it that way.

The General studied him for another moment longer before letting it drop and signalled the squad. They made fast work of clearing the bodies out of view of the room beyond while X2 hacked the computer strapped to the wrist of the stormtrooper squad leader for the access codes.

They hugged the wall on either side as the double blast doors began parting in overlapping diagonal sections. X2 peered down at his scanner and, still with his movements as close to the wall as possible, he made a rapid succession of gestures – a fist, five fingers, a semi-circle underlined.

Madine nodded. Fifteen Imps, their positions spread out throughout the room. Challenging, but not impossible. He gave the command – a closed fist opening flat, two fingers, then _Go_.

The Rebels pulled down the visor of their helmets and adjusted audio-buffer settings. Two flash detonators were charged and chucked into the room.

There were two blinding flashes in quick succession, accompanied by an ear-piercing siren. Shouts from several disoriented Imps greeted them as the Rebels charged into the room with blasters alight, quickly mapping the vantage points and cover in the large sector control room.

Immediately, however, they almost stumbled to a halt at the wholly unexpected sea of colour before them.

Not the humdrum white of fatigued stormtroopers, but the bright crimson of elite Imperial Royal Guards.

* * *

The rebel starfighters flipped and zipped and spun their way through the dense flotsam of bulk cruisers, chasing each other as much as the growing number of pursuing TIE fighters as they tore their way across the battlefield. The clawing superstructure rushed up towards them, growing impossibly more massive as they sped forth, larger and larger, and yet the Death Star continued to grow before them, filling their viewports and beyond.

"We're ready to go, Admiral," Lando said heavily over the private comm with _Home One_.

"Look at the size of that thing..."

"Cut the chatter, Red Two," Wedge ordered.

Ackbar's order came ten seconds later. "You may proceed, General. The shield generator has been deactivated."

"Copy that, Admiral." Lando returned to the open frequency. "All ships proceed."

Wedge was closest to the opening. "We're going in," he acknowledged and swung his X-wing, closely mirrored by his wingmen as they dove into the exposed superstructure.

"Here goes nothing," Lando mumbled to Nien Nunb as he followed course in the _Falcon_.

At first the shaft was wide enough for three ships to surge forward side-by-side. The only lighting came from their ships and the laser fire being exchanged between the rebels and the pursuing TIEs.

Lando swallowed, dreading giving the order and yet knowing there was little choice. "Lock onto the strongest power source, it should be the power generator."

"Copy, Gold Leader," Wedge seconded, equally grave but refusing to let Lando stand alone as they raced towards the harrowing possiblity of having to execute the deaths of their friends.

The shaft narrowed before long and the ships filtered down into single file. Gold and Red Squadrons comprised of some of the most experienced pilots in the Alliance and they all reacted on instinct as the tunnel twisted and turned, avoiding protruding structural frameworks as they also dodged fire from the TIEs behind.

Wedge snapped his control stick aside, avoiding a proton torpedo from one of the pursuing TIE fighters. A double explosion from behind rocked the ships with their shockwaves and a quick glance at the scanner told him that an X-wing as well as a TIE fighter had not been so lucky.

"What the –?"

The startled cry from the leading ship was all the warning they had before the starfighters found themselves practically falling into an immense cavern, the ceiling appearing comparatively low against the sheer breadth of the space – it seemed to span the greater portion of the diameter of the massive battlestation.

However, the alarm call wasn't from the size of the place, but rather from the absence of anything inside it. It was a vast, _empty_ cavern, noticeably absent of the crucial components they had been seeking.

A bewildered voice filtered over the comm. "Where's the main reactor?"

* * *

The Force lightning surged upon the green lightsaber, lighting up the Throne Room. Darth Sidious was the very embodiment of the Dark Side. More powerful, more devastating than even his father could have imagined, and undoubtedly more so than Luke.

Anchoring himself with a conscious effort and keeping the encroaching whispers of fear at bay, Luke stretched out with the Force. What should he do? What _could_ he do?

"You were unwise to deny the Dark Side," the Emperor hissed. "Countless numbers will pay the price for your lack of vision."

The Force lightning still continued to flood towards him, seemingly indefatigable against Luke's depleted shielding. It was a perilous balance between healing himself with the Force and expending enough energy to deflect Sidious' sustained assault. His rear leg slipped a fraction towards the yawning drop to the reactor core.

"The planet obliterated," Sidious taunted, "billions dead... your last surviving relatives gone..."

The Force convulsed, betraying their shock.

In the flickering blue reflection of the lightning, Sidious looked entirely too pleased with himself. "And all because you refused to do what was needed to stop me. How will you live with yourself? To think that you watched helplessly as your fleet was lost and your friends died, as the Rebellion was crushed and you all failed to save Naboo –"

A sudden blast from the side burst through Palpatine's litany. The lightning abruptly halted and he tumbled back as though he'd been hit, although Luke had seen that the bolt had ripped through nothing but loose sleeves. There was a second blast, again lost in the robes. Luke glanced towards Leia –

The galaxy screeched to a standstill.

It wasn't the blaster in her hands that clenched his heart in fear.

It was the sight of her brown eyes flecked with yellow.


	19. The cost of freedom – part 2

**A/N: **I'm on a roll, here's the next chapter already! :)

Lots of you seemed to like the Yoda/Anakin scene in the last one, as well as Palpy not being a weakling – there's a reason why Vader hadn't toppled him already!

I won't hold you up rambling away, just a special mention for _general-joseph-dickson_ for the idea about the kamikaze attack (you'll know where I mean when you get to it). And maybe I'm just a big softie but I totally wound myself up writing this... Lemme know what you think!

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer: **SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 19. The cost of freedom – part 2**

Arm locked straight, the blaster following Palpatine's spurious tumble, Leia's face was set as Luke had never seen it – the same staunch determination but shadowed as though he was glimpsing a wraith-like streak in her every feature. The sight was so shocking that it threatened to dislodge his own hold on the Light Side.

Calm and coaxing was the furthest from what he was feeling but he pitched his voice as close to it as he could manage. "Leia, look at me."

Palpatine stumbled, clutching his side.

Knowing that the Emperor hadn't actually been shot, to Luke the display was glaringly theatrical. But Leia's face shone with dark exhilaration.

"It's over, Palpatine. The ultimate power in the galaxy? I don't think so."

"He's not wounded," Luke tried to reason. "It's just an act, you didn't shoot him."

"Don't belittle me, Luke," Leia snapped in a voice he barely recognised. "Look at him! Pathetic old man."

It started off as a quiet chuckle that quickly escalated into a full-blown cackle. The Emperor straightened, his posture strong, all signs of his feigned debilitation gone as he gloated over the fruit of his labour. Although the Jedi had irritatingly appeared to have inherited traits from Amidala that altered his vulnerability, the Princess certainly shared her father's predisposition. Since he'd fixed on her to become his new apprentice, all his careful machinations from Skywalker's peril to the taunting of hopelessness and death of loved ones had been aimed at driving her to extremes of intense emotions. The latest manipulation saw her ruthlessly triumphant one moment only to plummet to the despair of denied victory the next, driving her further to her place at his side.

"You're too easily fooled, my dear." He flicked his hand and the blaster went flying out of her hands and clattered away, lost to a dark corner behind them. Goading on her outrage, he scorned derisively, "As if _you_ ever had a chance of harming _me_."

Luke thought she had fallen over or was in pain as she bent double and grasped at her ankle, but when she straightened with a familiar lightsaber in her hand, the dots connected in a disturbing flash of insight as to how she had obtained it during their father's disappearance.

With an unforgettable _snap-hiss_ that chilled him to the core, the red blade sprung to life.

Luke almost didn't make it in time, so quickly did Leia lurch forwards. She swung double-handed at the grinning Emperor but she never reached him, jolting to a dead stop as Luke's lightsaber smote down over hers.

The spark of clashing lightsabers was followed a moment later by the green flash of the superlaser beam outside the viewport. Another capital ship lost, bearing hundreds of lives.

Leia's voice was deep and echoing faintly with the shadow of the Dark Side, no longer resembling her own. "You _dare_ stop me?"

Luke knew that if she tried to kill Palpatine now, slipping to the Dark Side as she was, she would be utterly lost. He strenuously flooded himself with the Light Side but his efforts to reach her was like wading through Dabogah's deepest swamps. A mantle of putrid darkness clung about her, slowly swallowing her into its eternal grasp.

"This won't stop the superlaser. We _will_ end Palpatine's rule, but not like this."

"Then _how_, _exactly_?! _You've_ had no effect on him. We came here to stop Palpatine and that's what I'm doing!"

"Listen to yourself, this isn't you."

"Stand aside, Luke!"

The Emperor observed eagerly. "Good! Good. Give into your anger. Skywalker never shared your goals. Destroy him, or he will only hold you back."

Blue eyes anxiously sought the receding brown in a sea of glowing yellow. "Leia, remember your friends." Luke was encouraged by a flicker of uncertainty. "Remember Han," he pressed gently.

"Yes, remember them well," Palpatine scoffed. "For if you don't finish the Jedi now, their lives are forfeit and you'll never see them again."

Drowning in the intoxicating darkness, Leia failed to detect the lack of logic in what the Emperor was telling her. She wrenched the lightsaber free from Luke's block and turned to face him fully, her posture taut in readiness to attack.

Luke's voice was heavy with anguish he could no longer conceal. "_Leia_...! Look at us, it's not each other we should be fighting!"

"It is unavoidable," the Emperor crooned as he witnessed the birth of his new apprentice. "It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now... _mine_."

Light faded as shadows took hold. Leia tightened her grip, a chilling smirk curving her lips as she raised their father's lightsaber –

Jarring them all clean out of the heinous darkness of Palpatine's web clogging the Throne Room came a voice from the chasm of the reactor core. Calm and utterly assured, it was a rich timbre that Luke had never heard before this day. And yet – and yet! What emotions the sound evoked within him – an unshakable sense of safety and relief, his own strength resurrected, a spark of hope –

"You greatly overestimate yourself, Sidious."

* * *

Lando glanced at the vast ceiling mottled with pipes and cables stretching as far as the eye could see, and his immediate reaction was one of relief at having the first stage of their attack thwarted; concern over Naboo came as a swift second. "All fighters, form up. Stay alert and keep the TIEs on your scopes."

Wedge contacted him over a private channel as the TIE fighters burst into the cavern after them and promptly showered them with their arsenal. "This was a diversion, Lando. Readings suggest it's _up there_."

A TIE Interceptor had the misfortune of spinning across his target hairs and he promptly destroyed it.

"My thoughts exactly," Lando replied before he linked to the Admiral. "_Home One_, this is Gold Leader. The power generator is not in this tunnel."

"What?" Rieekan exclaimed.

"Clearly some changes were made since the blueprints Vader obtained." Beside him, Nien Nunb adjusted their shield power distributions as the TIEs swarmed around them. "Red Leader and I both came to the conclusion that it's somewhere above us. There's a solid ceiling but we could try blowing our way through, it'll depend on the structure whether it'll work."

"You may not have much time before a defensive shield is activated," Ackbar warned.

"We understand," Wedge replied. "Ready when you are, Gold Leader."

Alliance and Imperial starfighters continued to chase and evade each other amidst the dense spray of laserfire. Lando steered the _Falcon_ through the mayhem as Nunb scanned and analysed the structure above them.

_There may be a weak spot, I have isolated it on the computer_, Nunb said in his guttural tongue.

"Alright, here goes nothing." Lando turned to the open frequency. "All ships, target my mark."

The targeting computers honed in on a single spot on the ceiling and all rebel guns were ablaze.

* * *

Anakin was certain that he had never astounded a room so much in his whole life. Three pairs of shellshocked eyes stared at him as he leaped smoothly over the railing onto the pristine black floor, the Throne Room silent but for the quiet mechanical hum of the distant reactor core.

His first priority was Leia. He wasted no time in connecting their minds, taking advantage of her immense shock to slip past her shields and pour forth the Light Side in all its energising purity. The Dark Side dissipated and disappeared like vapour, its fledgling hold having no chance in the face of Anakin's determined rescue of his daughter. Leia wasn't lost!

She blinked, gasping, doubly struck by the shock of seeing a dead man walking and the harrowing awareness of having been hurtling the sharp descent towards the Dark Side, on the verge of battling _Luke_...

Fortunately their strong bond had meant that Luke had known that Anakin was still alive, but it was a stunning shock to see his father unmasked and looking so healthy. It was a first for Anakin too, to look upon his son without the detested red filtering of the visors, and his gaze traced fondly over Luke's face and the identical blue eyes. The sight of the fresh cauterised cut under the right eye couldn't help but cause a jolt of anger at Palpatine who had no doubt bestowed it, but it was a reaction born of paternal protectiveness rather than the boiling rage of darkness. Nevertheless he smoothed over the reaction; such couldn't be his way any longer.

He touched Luke's mind. His son leaned into the mental contact, but all too soon he was firmly turning Anakin away.

'_Later, father_.'

It wasn't a rebuttal; Luke had fixed his attention squarely back on Palpatine, all questions resolutely stored away for a more appropriate time.

The superlaser fired again in another flash of green.

_So close!_ The thought ate through the Sith Master like rabid fire. Another few seconds, that's all it would have taken for his new apprentice to seal her fate and complete her transition to the Dark Side!

But Sidious couldn't decide whether _that_ was more infuriating, or how his former apprentice positively _oozed_ with the Light Side, or how he was not only inexcusably still alive but _breathing _on top of it all. No mask, no hissing respirator, just standing there in his suit – with those prosthetics that he'd improved, also without permission – and _breathing by himself_.

It was beyond treachery. It was beyond all forgiveness. The air smouldered, the Dark Side about to explode.

"I never realised," Anakin observed with blatant irreverence, stalling Palpatine's momentum. "You look, and _reek_, like a corpse."

* * *

By the time Mara arrived back on Imperial Center, years of the Emperor's strict conditioning had expelled those earlier doubts that had prompted her to leave the Death Star so suddenly and she was almost entirely convinced that she had simply fallen for the Jedi's manipulations designed to remove her from the battle at Naboo.

_Almost_.

That was the crucial word that saw her storming down the eerie hallways of the SuRecon Center instead of ceasing this ridiculous venture and returning immediately to her master's side to submit to whatever punishment he deemed fit for her leaving without notice or permission.

The lingering smidgen of doubt chafed at the back of her mind as she glowered down the guards weighing up whether or not to insist that she identify herself. These stormtroopers posted on the intermediary levels were familiar enough of her close connection to the Emperor but usually only Lord Vader and the Emperor were exempt from security checks. In her riled up state she was perfectly eager to identify herself with some carefully placed kicks and was rather disappointed when they backed down and let her pass.

The Imperial Royal Guard securing the lower levels, the secret bowels hitherto out of bounds to her, was an altogether different matter. And because of that, she'd known that this was where she needed to go to prove Skywalker wrong. Whatever the Emperor was doing down here wasn't what the Jedi had hinted at. It _wasn't_...

She eased open the power circuit behind a security code panel. She didn't cut the power, which would have instantly triggered a security lockdown, but she connected an auxiliary power system linked to a useful slicing program she kept to hand. Within moments there was a soft beep to confirm she'd successfully hijacked the security system and only then did she pry open the grill to the refuse shaft.

Drawing a mask over her face to filter the pungent and occasionally poisonous fumes, she wriggled through the narrow port to began her search.

* * *

"Your failure knows no bounds," Palpatine hissed, spittle flying from his mouth. "You're not even able to _die_."

"On the contrary, Sidious, the credit is all yours," Anakin replied smoothly. "It's only due to your failure to keep me ensnared in the Dark Side, and your own personal inexperience in killing Jedi."

"Your memory must be dysfunctional if you've forgotten how your Order was obliterated."

Anakin's voice became as hard as his durasteel armour. "I remember all too well. The _clones_ executed Order 66, _I_ hunted down the survivors." The Force sharpened to pinpoint focus around him, his bright presence forcing back the heinous darkness of Palpatine's. "But no more. The Jedi have been reborn; the Sith ends here."

"You sprout the same dreary speech as your son, Lord Vader," Sidious said, the title slipping from his tongue out of habit before he could curb it.

"The name," corrected the born-again Jedi, "is Anakin."

Palpatine's face became even more unsightly, twisting in revulsion as if he had tasted something particularly foul. For a full few seconds he seemed physically incapable of speaking.

And from that stillness came an utterly bewildered voice from behind.

"... Say what?"

Hanging on suspension cables from a vent in the ceiling above the bridge was a Wookiee and a man in Imperial black with rather scruffy hair.

* * *

"Han..."

Leia had barely breathed the whisper when the forgotten lightsaber was snatched out of her hands, whizzing into Anakin's just in time to absorb Palpatine's infuriated attack of Force lightning. Despite the power flooding towards him, Anakin managed to advance and force Sidious away from his children.

Luke grabbed Leia's hand and started running towards their friends as their father battled the Emperor. "Han, get Leia out of here!"

Leia shook herself free. "What? Don't be ridiculous –"

"You all right Leia –?" Han asked, swooping the rest of the way down to the bridge as Chewie howled at them.

"You have to go –"

"– I'm not going anywhere –"

"– the hell's going on–?"

"– you can't stay here –"

"– I'm going to help –"

"– who _is_ that guy–?"

"– too much at stake –"

"– we'll defeat him together –"

"– is that _Vader_?"

_Rrrhhhwwrrr!_

They hastily flattened themselves to the ground as a bolt of lightning streaked over them. It broke off as Anakin regained his footing and beset the Emperor with his lightsaber.

Luke and Leia exchanged a glance.

"Seriously," Han insisted with all seriousness, "there's a guy in Vader's suit tackling the old corpse." He looked to Chewie but the Wookiee suspiciously ignored him.

Now wasn't the time to explain things to Han. Part of his senses keeping track of the furious battle behind them, Luke studied Leia. "It's too dangerous for you to stay here. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The weight of her gaze told him that she did but she still hesitated, glancing at the fighting.

"The superlaser still needs to be disengaged," Luke suggested instead.

"Madine's on that," Han said distractedly, still eyeing the blue-eyed, dark blond-haired man in Vader's suit.

"What do you reckon, think he could use a hand?"

Leia hated the thought of leaving her brother and father – still shocked that he was alive – but she was wise enough to realise when she posed more danger to them and to herself by staying close to the Emperor.

She drew herself up and nodded. "It's done."

He nodded back and turned to Chewie. The human and Wookiee regarded each other, understanding more in that one look than could be expressed in a hundred words.

"Stay with her?" Luke asked quietly, intently.

Chewie's soft reply was equally earnest. _Of course_.

Han jumped as Leia slapped his shoulder. "Come on, Han."

"Sure," Han replied automatically. He'd only half been following the conversation, having been preoccupied trying to figure out why the man parading around in Vader's suit felt so familiar. But wherever Leia went, he'd go.

* * *

"I didn't expect you here, weren't you heading to Endor?" Leia asked as the elevator dropped and left their stomachs floating.

"Long story," Han shrugged. "We invited ourselves along when Vader left the _Executor_."

She nodded, her eyes drifting to the door. "Soon as we've taken care of the superlaser, we'll be back for them."

_Them?_ Han had an unshakable feeling that he was missing something crucial. "Who _was_ that guy in Vader's suit anyway?"

Chewie growled softly beside him. _Leave it_.

Han ignored him. "Leia?"

They felt the increased weight as the elevator decelerated. She affected a nonchalant shrug much like his. "Long story." Chewie handed her a spare blaster and she threw them a grin as if to say _Bring it on_. "Ready boys?"

The door slid open and revealed a sea of red. Without batting an eye she had fired twice at the nearest Royal Guard whose attention was still fixed on the rebels on the other side of the room before Han and Chewie could follow her out of the elevator. Even when they took cover and fired from behind the control deck, she barely seemed to duck under a swinging force pike before she was off again, little more than a white blur as she dashed out of range of the stun pole and shot back at the Guard. But unlike Luke, she had no shiny lightsaber to deflect the lethal shots aimed at her.

"Princess Leia!" came a call from the opposite side.

Han breathed a sigh of relief as she finally settled for more than a few seconds behind a terminal.

"General?" Leia answered. "How're you holding up?"

"_You're_ asking _us_?" Madine laughed shortly over the sizzling of force pikes and blaster bolts. "Glad to have you back with us, your Highness. We're all good, just enjoying this little party going here."

A crossbow bolt hit a Royal Guard square on the chest and he went thudding back into the wall, his brief groan muffled by his helmet.

"You're beginning to sound like Han," Leia shouted back with a smile. "Think you've been working with him too lo –"

There was a flurry of motion before her. A swish of crimson blocked her view and for an instant she was staring down the glowing tip of a force pike –

A mass of brown hair tackled the red with a bellow that reverberated through their bones. More Imperial Guards joined the fray and Rebels in Imperial special ops black dove in moments later. Leia sought targets but could barely settle a shot in the mass of wrestling bodies and flying limbs.

The Emperor's Royal Guard were all expertly trained fighters but the Rebel troops were creative in combat and also had the advantage of a Wookiee on their side. Whether by grabbing and throwing them or simply tripping them up, the Rebels made full use of the Imps being hindered by their long capes. It was scrappy and ungraceful, but in minutes, without another shot being fired, there was a pile of unconscious bodies in red.

Solo scoured the room. "Clear!"

Leia rushed to the first prone body of a Rebel soldier and checked for his pulse – nothing. She moved on to a second as the rest of the troops checked the other three.

"He's alive!" Leia called out. "Just out cold."

The other three shook their heads. They had lost four, leaving ten standing and one unconscious.

Madine came to Leia's side. "How's Commander Skywalker?"

Han saw a flash of intense concern – and was that _guilt_? – before she managed to conceal her reaction. "Luke and Vader are dealing with the Emperor."

"We've got incoming!" X2 reported from the door controls where he hastily overrode the access codes entered by Imperials outside. "I don't know how long I can hold them!"

"You two," Madine said, directing two of the squad to bring the unconscious soldier before he signalled the whole squad toward the rear control room. "There's a superlaser to shut down, this way."

The ping and hiss of the elevator door opening had them diving for cover. But instead of the expected clomping of boots they heard an electronic whir. Leia peered out cautiously from behind the communications console.

"Artoo!"

* * *

"Evasive manoeuvres!" Admiral Nammo shouted.

The crew would have loved to have done precisely that but there was no time. The superlaser beam carved clean through the Mon Calamari _Defiance_ from the port quarter out through the starboard bow before continuing its trajectory to pierce its intended target, the _Quasar Fire_-class bulk cruiser _Flurry_, obliterating it to fragments.

The shockwaves radiated back to the already beleaguered Mon Calamari Star Cruiser. The blaring alarms and flashing warning lights were entirely redundant as six hundred metres of the ship's tapered bow splintered away like an enormous lopsided slice of an ellipse with a violent rumble shuddering through the bridge.

The surrounding Star Destroyers converged on the two diagonal halves of the _Defiance_ like Utapaun rock-vultures.

"Focus all shields!"

It was an automatic, deeply ingrained response that saved the rear half from the worst of the ensuing onslaught. The forward section that had broken away wasn't so lucky – the compartmentalised shielding lacked the deep power reserves located towards the aft and it quickly followed the _Flurry_'s fate.

The _Liberty_, the _Sanctuary_, and Grey Squadron quickly came to the _Defiance_'s defence – what was left of it – and bombarded the Star Destroyers to draw fire away.

"Admiral Nammo!" came Ackbar's shout over the comlink.

"Report!" Nammo ordered the bridge, not answering his fellow Mon Calamarian directly but leaving the line open to update him at the same time.

"Shields stable at seventy percent!"

"We've... uh, _lost_ fifty-five percent of the ship, Admiral!"

"Lower levels stabilised, cabin pressures maintained one sector in from the breach, all levels!"

"Still calculating remaining crew members!"

"Two main thrusters and three sublight thrusters remain operational!"

"Manoeuvrability at twelve percent!"

"Firepower reduced to forty percent, turbolaser and ion cannons down to nearly fifteen each!"

The diagnostics spoke for themselves; they wouldn't last much longer in this intense battlefield and Nammo's decision was made. He strode over to the communications console and addressed what remained of the Star Cruiser in his usual matter-of-fact tone.

"This is Admiral Nammo. The _Defiance_ will likely be destroyed within ten minutes. I request volunteers for a skeleton crew to remain to enable evacuation and maintain basic operation. All others are ordered to evacuate. Admiral Ackbar?"

"The _Liberty_ and the _Sanctuary_ will board the evacuees, Admiral Nammo," came Ackbar's immediate reply, having anticipated the question.

"Copy that." Nammo switched off the comm and turned to the crew of his bridge. To them, he revealed his true intent. "I lied. I will not sit here and wait to be destroyed. The _Defiance_ will self-destruct." He paused, letting the magnitude of those words sink in. "You are all free to evacuate, the choice is entirely yours."

Commander Devers, the tactical officer, barely missed a beat before he placed himself solidly at his elbow. "I'm staying right here, Admiral," he said lightly as if he hadn't just joined the Mon Calamarian on a suicide mission.

And one by one, the other officers, technicians and operators all nodded to him, solemn but resolute.

Nammo experienced a surge of bittersweet pride at their tremendous courage and loyalty. He took a deep, wet breath to brace himself – now that they had each elected to remain, it wasn't for the men to bear the impossible burden of deciding who should die.

"I commend your bravery, every one of you. But not all of you are needed. The ranking officer of each division should remain, the rest will evacuate. _That_," he said, raising his voice above the junior officers' protests, "is an order."

He turned to one of the lieutenants. "Would you oversee the evacuation and confirm the remaining volunteers and evacuees?"

As the man saluted and marched away, Nammo turned to Devers to explain their final course of action.

* * *

Force lightning sparked, saber clashed against saber moving too fast to be followed by the naked eye – just a blur of red on red, red on green. Anakin and Luke moved in sync as they battled Sidious, the Light against the Dark.

And it was only then, with the Force resonating with increased potency as they flowed with its power, that they saw the truth of the Light Side as it really was.

Luke, perhaps wiser than his father had been at the same age, was decades ahead of Anakin in this matter as realisation dawned on them both. All their lives there had been an element of them, whether great or small, whether openly acknowledged or lurking in the deepest recesses of their mind, that had considered the Dark Side as being more powerful. It was an easy mistake to make when Sidious stood alone and seemingly invincible. But _alone _was the key.

It couldn't be denied that Sidious was exceptionally powerful, but the crucial point was that it would have been impossible for him to stand side by side with another being as Anakin and Luke now were. It wasn't that the Sith didn't share power; they _could _not. The Dark Side stood alone, poisonous and lethal, unaided.

The Light Side could not only exist in harmony but it thrived on it. As proven by the Jedi for millennia, as now so candidly demonstrated by the Chosen One and his son, the Light Side only became more powerful and more alive when called upon in unity. And therein lay the hidden power of the Light Side of the Force.

* * *

"Think you can just sashay around in your pretty red dresses?" Han elbowed up behind him, catching an Imperial Guard on the jaw in the gap under the helmet. Having created some space he planted his foot on the caped chest and shoved the brute away before blasting him in the chest.

Artoo had easily unlocked the door to the superlaser control room only for them to find another dozen Royal Guards within, and then a squad of stormtroopers had also turned up from back the way they'd come. The control room was barely large enough for half of them to be brawling and the fighting spilled back out to the second chamber they had just cleared.

Leia ducked a force pike and grabbed it as it whipped overhead, continuing to pull it around so the Royal Guard was overbalanced. She tried to yank it free but he was too well-trained to lose his weapon and instead she found herself being tossed aside in turn. She tumbled into X2, knocking over both him and the stormie he was fighting, but she went with it and continued rolling, ending up behind the troublesome Guard and shot him in the back.

Two stormtroopers came charging her way but with an almighty roar Chewie's swinging arm walloped them both in the face. Their feet flipped up and they crashed to the floor head first. His crossbow found its mark before they could find their feet.

"How're you doing Artoo?" Han called over the din.

Artoo trailed a frustrated electronic whine. He'd quickly plugged himself into the superlaser programming but someone had really done a number on it. Everything was completely scrambled and encrypted and scrambled again, nothing he attempted managed to make any sense of it. He was applying every one of the thousands of slicing algorithms he had stored in his extensive data banks in every possible combination but the computer remained obstinately and impossibly insane. There would be a logical part of it somewhere, however small, to target Rebel ships and trigger the superlaser at the correct intervals to prevent overheating, but Artoo wasn't able to locate it.

His visual receptor sensed movement. He swivelled his domed head and registered the Imperial Guard about to jab him with his stun pole. But before it could connect, a red bolt shot the Guard in the shoulder and the sizzling end of his weapon missed Artoo by inches. The blasterfire continued and forced the Guard to withdraw.

"We've got your back, Artoo," Leia called as she chased after the red robes, intending to press her advantage while he was on his back foot.

* * *

Leia had no idea how anyone in bright crimson robes could disappear but that's exactly what the Royal Guard did, getting swallowed up in the fighting. Almost tripping over the prone body of a stormtrooper, she glanced up to find two others levelling their rifles at her. She fired quickly at one as she dodged behind a pair grappling for advantage, an Alliance soldier and a Royal Guard, and emerged on the other side of them to fire with deadly accuracy at the second.

She had a split moment to decide between the cover of a control terminal and some space that seemed to have cleared to her right. She chose the latter –

And alarmingly found herself back in the elevator she'd descended in from the Throne Room only minutes ago.

The clatter of boots had her turning to see that two Royal Guards were backing into the elevator. They had their backs to her as they kept an eye out for any Rebels or shots fired their way from the second chamber and they didn't seem to have seen her. She remained crouched and motionless, concealed behind the voluminous red capes with her hand tight on her blaster. _Oh frink_...

One of them hit the controls and the door slid shut, abruptly cutting off the shouting and crashing and blip of blasters outside. The sudden quiet was eerie.

He turned to his companion. "They've gained more ground than we anticipated, sir."

"The scum are like fleas," the second, presumably the commander, grated in the same mechanical voice. "His Majesty ought to have sent reinforcements by now, there may be trouble above. Stealth mode," he said, indicating the controls.

"Yes sir," the junior one replied and tapped in some extra codes before he sent the elevator shooting up.

They meant to ambush the fighting in the Throne Room!

Without thinking, Leia crab-stepped so she was beside the senior Guard and drove up with her legs and shoved him forcefully into the other. They crashed into the side of the elevator and she fired as they were scrambling to regain their footing, but the commander rolled away alarmingly quickly and she only managed to hit the junior one. She cried out as the tip of a force pike grazed her arm and electricity jolted through her, driving her to her knees.

The commander glared down at her – at least, she imagined he was glaring under that all-concealing visor – and raised the lethal staff to finish her off while she was stunned. But thanks to the Emperor she was practically an old hand at being electrified and she wasn't as paralysed as the Guard thought. Without wasting energy trying to move the rest of her body she whipped her arm around and shot him square in the chest before he'd even started to swing his arm down.

She was certain of his surprise that she'd managed to keep her grip on her blaster – he was a little impressed, even – and then he crumpled lifeless on top of her, just as the lights blinked out and left her stranded in the pitch dark. She squirmed out from under the dead weight as the elevator slow to a stop.

It was dark and silent and she waited for a few seconds to see if something might happen. Just as she was reaching for her comlink, a vertical sliver of dim light appeared, bringing with it the unmistakable crackle of Force lightning on lightsaber. It was the only indication of the door silently sliding ajar – stealth mode, indeed.

Wedging a finger into the narrow gap she found that the door slid easily at her touch, and she widened the gap just enough to be able to peer out across the bridge.

Luke was just rolling back up off the floor and Vader – or Anakin? her father? what was she supposed to call him now? – leaped across to intercept the lightning shooting in that direction, absorbing it with his lightsaber until Luke rejoined him. Having regrouped, they advanced together on Palpatine, who kept Anakin at bay with the torrent of lightning from one hand while the lightsaber in his other hand connected with Luke's, bashing aside the lunging strike and returning several forceful blows. Just as Luke had deflected those and found an opening to strike, Palpatine abruptly disengaged from Anakin and dodged past Luke away from the attack, putting Anakin on the far side.

Leia had seen Luke fighting often enough to recognise the Force push in Palpatine's outstretched hand, and although Luke swiped an arm across to deflect much of it, he still staggered back a step. Anakin steadied him as he stepped around and together they dealt blow after blow on Palpatine who still managed to parry and deliver his own counters. The power behind every strike resounded in the crackle and hiss of clashing lightsabers.

Considering her options, Leia settled down to watch and wait. She didn't want to distract them just yet but she'd be here to help should her brother and father need it.

* * *

Lando was rather surprised at the shoddy workmanship. "They must have rushed through the construction," he said as he carefully guided the _Falcon_ through the hole they'd easily blasted through the ceiling.

"Palpatine must have had the work accelerated," Wedge replied as he followed.

They found themselves in a second cavern that mirrored the one below, except for the reactor core in the distance.

"We've located the reactor core and main power generator, Admiral. Any word from the Death Star?"

X-wings and TIE fighters continued to squeeze through the jagged opening after them, chasing each other as the skirmish drifted towards their target.

"No news," Ackbar replied, grave but standing firm. "We're losing at least one battleship and hundreds of people every two minutes, we cannot hold off any longer. Lock onto the targets and fire, General Calrissian. We have no choice but to destroy the Death Star."

* * *

There was a panicked electronic blare as Artoo was bashed away from the superlaser control terminal and went whizzing away to smack into the wall.

With a roar Chewie tackled the Guard who'd attacked the droid with his stun pole and in typical Wookiee fashion he tore the man's arm off. The exposed shoulder revealed the limb to be a prosthetic and the Guard merely swung around with his metre-long weapon in his remaining arm.

Artoo splat, not pleased at the violent interruption.

"Artoo!" Madine called as he rushed over. "You still functioning?"

Artoo beeped as though he considered that a ridiculous thing to ask and wheeled back to the terminal to plug himself back in.

"Are we any closer?" Madine asked.

Artoo shook his domed head and returned the entirety of his considerable processing power back to the task.

Madine fired on two stormtroopers trying to sneak up on the droid as he pulled his comlink from his belt to update Admiral Ackbar.

* * *

"Emergency evacuation is complete, Admiral," the Lieutenant reported as he returned to the bridge. "All levels have been vacated. I sealed the hangar after the last transport myself."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Nammo acknowledged. "Commander Devers?"

"Trajectory and self-destruct sequence all set, Admiral."

There was a heavy pause. Nammo glanced around at the stoic faces of the men and women of the depleted crew, his heartfelt, bittersweet pride clear in his bulbous eyes. "It has been an honour to serve with each of you."

They all stood to face him, their fear overshadowed by fierce determination in their final purpose. "Likewise," Devers replied, speaking for them all. "It has been an incredible honour, Admiral."

Nammo nodded firmly. "All hands on deck." He flicked his comlink as the officers returned to their stations for their final act of duty. "_Liberty_ and _Sanctuary_, the _Defiance_ is about to live up to its name. Please don't follow us."

He turned the comlink off against their alarmed questions and settled in his chair. "All engines at maximum throttle," Nammo ordered the bridge, his eyes fixed on the Death Star. "Activate self-destruct on impact."

* * *

"I'm in range, General," Wedge reported to Lando and _Home One_.

The Falcon was fast approaching from the opposite direction, having taken a different route when the TIE fighters had started pursuing them. "I'll be there in seconds. Admiral Ackbar, _should we fire_?" Lando checked for the last time even as his every thought was pleading _Say no, say no, say no_...

"Artoo-Detoo is working on it but the superlaser programming is proving difficult to break," came Ackbar's dreaded response. "We're out of options, General. You must proceed."

Lando closed his eyes for a brief instant. "Alright, Wedge. Go for the power regulator on the north tower. I'm on the main reactor."

* * *

"Admiral Ackbar! The _Defiance_...!"

* * *

"Target locked," Wedge said, gritting his teeth. With his finger hovering over the trigger of the proton torpedo launcher, he paused in silent prayer – _I'm sorry, Luke_.

Lando was in a similar state, hesitating for one last thought. _Sorry, buddy_.

* * *

A brilliant explosion flashed amidst the battle in space as the splintered remnant of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser _Defiance_ crashed into the concave dish of the superlaser and self-destructed.

* * *

"Abort! I repeat, abort! General Calrissian, do you copy?"

Hands snatched away from the triggers, hearts thudding.

Lando saw Wedge also peeling away from the north tower as he sailed the _Falcon_ past the main reactor core. "Copy, Admiral," he confirmed with great relief. "We've aborted." He laughed, slightly hysterical from the sudden vacuum in tension. "So Artoo managed to hack it, huh?"

"No, General," Ackbar clarified in a strained voice that wiped the smile from his face. "The _Defiance_ destroyed the superlaser dish... Admiral Nammo and his senior crew sacrificed themselves."

* * *

The viewport filled with the cross-sectional layered view of a battleship that one should have only seen in design illustrations moments before a great thundering boom reverberated underfoot. They staggered as a massive explosion somewhere close by shook the Throne Room, bracing themselves until the quaking stilled.

Anakin smiled slightly. "That didn't sound good."

"No, it didn't," Luke agreed, a grin tugging the corner of his lips.

Palpatine glowered at the identical pairs of blue eyes from across the polished black floor. He seemed beside himself, his nostrils flaring from the fury raging within before he began attacking them with Force lightning every which way.

In an altogether different situation it might have been an impressive fireworks display. Powerful blue lines arced through the air, bolt after bolt flying out and curving back in sharply to attack the pair from different angles every time. Luke and Anakin stood back to back in order to block every possible trajectory.

Palpatine's outcry merged with the ringing crackling of lightning. "Even combined, you fail to destroy me. The Jedi are weak!"

Anakin thrust out his lightsaber to absorb the blue bolt aimed over Luke's head. "He doesn't seem to have noticed that he hasn't destroyed _us_ yet, either," he murmured to his son conspiratorially.

Luke ducked past under his father's arm and deflected a lightning bolt aimed at Anakin's exposed back. "He doesn't really get the Jedi, does he?"

Anakin was driven backwards into Luke from a powerful bolt but his son nudged back in support. "Never has, never will. He's been sprouting the same nonsense his whole life."

Their camaraderie was driving Palpatine's rage further towards the insane. Heedless of overexerting himself, he blasted out a formidable array of Force lightning that charged down towards them like a shower. It was impossible to block so many directions at once. Even with their Force shielding at their maximum, they swayed into each other as some of the lightning ripped into them.

Blaster bolts came out of nowhere, three in rapid succession.

Palpatine was forced to abandon his new tactic, darting his lightsaber into hand as he spun to parry all three shots. When he saw the crouched figure in the doorway of the elevator, he grinned.

"Welcome back, my Apprentice."

He blocked behind his head without needing to look, darting aside to dodge the follow-up strike and took a swing at the younger Skywalker. The elder was upon him in moments, and they were yet again leaping and hacking and parrying across the floor in their lethal dance.

* * *

It was in the wake of the shock rippling through both the Alliance and Imperial fleets as they stared at the blackened vestiges of the superlaser array that another Imperial fleet dropped out of hyperspace over Naboo.

Lead by the gargantuan Super Star Destroyer _Executor_, the new fleet was easily double the already considerable number of the first, with Star Destroyers of all classes positioned side by side in a massive ring encompassing the entire battle.

Grand Moff Kaine, still sidelined on the _Chimaera_, couldn't decide if he should be pleased at this impressive boost to their numbers or irate at Piett's swooping in to claim the victory at the end. Admiral Strage, however, noted how none of the new arrivals fired a single cannon or deployed any TIE fighters to engage the Rebels. He was about to contact the _Executor_ when the announcement came on an open frequency.

"This is Grand Admiral Piett, addressing both Imperial and Alliance Fleets. Through his threat of destroying Naboo, Emperor Palpatine has proven himself an enemy of the Galactic Empire and is no longer fit to rule. As the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces and Lord Vader's proxy, I command all ships to cease fire effective immediately."

Kaine's face morphed to red, then purple, in his outrage. "How dare he? _How dare he_!"

Strage frowned, tuning out the Grand Moff's irate yelling as he thoughtfully glanced at the scan identifying the Star Destroyers aligned like grey bunting around them. Death Squadron flanked the _Executor_ in their entirety, and the other warships were registered under the most senior officers right across the galaxy. He didn't have enough facts to deduce whether matters truly stood as Piett indicated but to have brought so many Star Destroyers to heel was indicative of the stance of many of the leading figures of Imperial Command.

Pushing aside his dislike of the rebels for the time being, he spoke over the open com. "This is Admiral Strage. Imperial Fleet, hold fire."

Not that he believed that all ships would follow that order. He could think of certain hot-headed captains in the first Fleet who might react in much the same manner as the spluttering Grand Moff beside him and sure enough, a dozen Star Destroyers soon began firing on the _Executor_ in a futile and frankly brainless effort.

He didn't have to wait long for Piett's next announcement.

"The Alliance Fleet has agreed to a ceasefire but, with my agreement, they will retaliate in self defence against any further attack from Imperial ships. I repeat the order to all Imperial officers – _cease fire_. We need not to lose any more lives today. Any Imperial ship not abiding by the ceasefire is in violation of their orders and will be disabled using whatever force necessary."

In the face of the fearsome array of Piett's Fleet, one of the Star Destroyers targeting the _Executor_ ceased fire. The other eleven, however, continued their hopeless bombardment of the _Executor_ and also began attacking rebel battleships again.

Death Squadron surged forwards, a unified front of some thirty Star Destroyers. Two more Star Destroyers quickly quietened down at this move. One of the Star Destroyers still firing found itself as the sole target of the full complement of Death Squadron and was riddled with ion cannon pulses; it was a dead ship in moments, drifting with all power offlined. The remaining offenders didn't need any more convincing to obey Piett's order.

The battlefield of interlocking Alliance and Imperial fleets fell silent, the lumbering warships eerily still with starfighters floating quietly between them.

In the expectant quiet of the bridge of _Home One_ came Piett's voice. "Please forgive my tardiness, Admiral Ackbar, I had some discontented Grand Moffs to deal with. Where do we stand?"

* * *

Anakin, fighting as one with Luke, knew that they had an even chance against Sidious. But now Leia had returned to the Throne Room as well, and when gambling with the lives of his and Padmé's children, an even chance wasn't what he wanted. He wanted an irreversible guarantee and for Luke and Leia there were no lengths he wouldn't go to. He would have been content to suffer the fires of Mustafar a thousand times over if it would keep them safe. It was time to end this.

Leia had been forced to dive around to dodge the lightning that Palpatine periodically threw her way. At one point she had been forced across the bridge away from the elevator shaft, chased by the curving arc of lightning driving her towards Palpatine.

Luke's furious blows put a stop to that, although their fighting now blocked the bridge. He tried to force Palpatine backwards or entice him forwards so that Leia could return to the elevator and leave, but the Sith Master refused to budge from that section of the floor even when Anakin, of like mind, contributed to the effort.

It was when the crackling lightning sizzled through the air and slammed into Leia, driving her to the floor with a sharp cry, that time slowed to a crawl for Anakin.

With Force-imbued, crystal clear clarity and a sense of watching himself as though his consciousness no longer inhabited his physical body, he knew exactly what was about to occur in the next sixty seconds, the precise sequence of events that would lead to his transformation into the Force. And strangely, all his frustrations and anxiety over the battle subsided, replaced with unshakable calm.

He cast himself over Leia, shielding her from the lightning with his own body. In his strangely detached state, he barely registered the pain as he gazed adoringly into her brown eyes blinking at him in surprise. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was aware of the lightning breaking off, the sounds of clashing lightsabers becoming increasingly distant as Luke chased Palpatine up the steps towards the throne.

Anakin softly brushed Leia's cheek with his gloved fingers. '_Take care of each other_,' he sent to both his children, and then more for Leia, '_Your brother was right about Solo_.'

He was still smiling faintly at her confused face when there was a thud of someone hitting the floor behind him. Just as Anakin had intended, Sidious had taken advantage of Luke's momentary distraction and Force-pushed him aside. Perfect.

Apprehension flooded Luke. It almost sounded like... '_FATHER –!_'

Too late! – in a Force-assisted leap that carried him clean over the steps, Anakin threw himself at the Emperor. Sidious reacted in a blink, striking straight at the born-again Jedi.

Luke knew instantly what his father had done. It was the single most torturous moment of his life. Awash with denial and horror and grief, his heart broke.

Leia couldn't take her eyes off the disembodied tip of the red lightsaber protruding out of the middle of her father's black cape. Her mind couldn't seem to register that it would have gone straight through him.

Even Sidious appeared surprised for a second, before a hideous grin split his face and he began cackling. "You missed! You fool, you missed!"

Luke might never have moved from that spot even if the Death Star had exploded around him had he not seen the look that his father gave the Emperor in that moment. To the monster who had devastated the galaxy and torn their family asunder, almost impossibly, Anakin bestowed a smile of perfect contentment.

"Look again, Sidious," he gurgled in reply.

Look again Sidious did. And all blood promptly drained from his face.

Anakin had failed to block the lightsaber from being buried in his chest, but blocking had never been his intention – he'd had an entirely different objective and had succeeded with lethal accuracy. In between the unyielding grip of the prosthetic hands clamped onto Palpatine's forearm, the Emperor saw that his own lightsaber had pierced horizontally through the handle of Anakin's lightsaber.

The pure plasma beam of his blade, placed directly between the dual-focusing crystals of Anakin's lightsaber, creating an unbroken circuit, super-charging the finely tuned balance of the massive energy unleashed from the diatium power cell –

"No... Release me! _Release me!_" Palpatine screamed.

Leia had no comprehension of the looming inevitability. She was stumbling forwards with no further intention than to get to her father, to do _something_.

It was only the knowledge that his father had at last found peace that gave Luke the strength to do what he knew his father wanted of him, even if it was the very last thing he desired. With the agony of loss lacerating his heart, amidst Palpatine's shrill screeching ringing in their ears, Luke seized Leia in his arms and ran for the bridge.

She struggled frantically to free herself. "Luke, no! We have to help him!"

The Adegan crystals increased in resonance. The air began to hum.

Luke was too overwhelmed to reply. Even as he connected his mind to his father's and flooded forth all his love, even as he felt as though he would implode from the torment of his grief, he tightened his hold on his sister and forced his shaking legs to carry them away from their father, around behind the shelter of the elevator shaft.

Palpatine was still screaming himself hoarse, driven to frenzy as he flailed in vain to free himself from Anakin's death grip.

In direct contrast, in the twins' minds their father's voice was infused with love, peace, and the contented knowledge of finally having set something right.

'_My son. My daughter. The Force will be with you, always_.'

The plasma energy went critical and the explosion billowed through the Throne Room.


	20. From the ashes - - -

**A/N: **Some of you really weren't happy with the end of the last chapter! I'm sorry to have upset you but it's the way this story goes I'm afraid...

There's just a bit further to go to deal with the aftermath, I hope you enjoy this next part :)

**Disclaimer: **SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 20. ****From the ashes...**

What started as a creeping, slinking sense of unease that had prickled at the back of her neck at having uncovered classified medical logs of her parents had morphed into full-blown revulsion at the data contained within.

With her stomach churning, Mara ploughed through extensive research data spanning the first seven years after the Emperor had brought her to Imperial Centre – her parents suppressed under an induced coma as foetuses were engineered to fatal extremes, clones of Mara herself genetically tampered with and their premature deaths, page after page of detailed medical notes on unnatural genetic experimentation until her parents' deaths during a particularly invasive procedure gone wrong – all in the name of creating the 'ultimate' servant for Palpatine...

Her stomach heaved particularly violently and she vomited all over the terminal.o

_Your parents. They died a terrible, unnatural death, Mara... He's using you. Everyone is a tool to him... Especially you. _

Knees buckling, she collapsed in a heap on the floor, tasting bile. She dropped her head, hands knotting in her hair as Skywalker's words echoed in her mind. But she didn't fight it, not this time.

_You deserve better, Mara. You've had no one but Palpatine to guide you since you were young and you're not to blame for that. But you need to choose your own path now._

A sob wrenched free as she broke apart. Her deeply entrenched loyalty to the Emperor had just been brutally and irrevocably severed, and she clung to the counsel offered her by a Jedi – unbidden and unwelcome at the time but the only lifeline now left to her.

But her soul-searching was interrupted as the Emperor's presence burst into her mind and she gasped at the abrupt intrusion.

Her vision was superimposed with the face of a man wearing Vader's suit, who for a moment she thought was Skywalker from the blue eyes. But the face was older, too angular. And then she saw Skywalker in the background, staring in unconcealed horror with the Princess beside him with a similar expression, before the Jedi grabbed her and ran. Mara's view dropped as Palpatine's eyes swung down and took in the sight of his own lightsaber piercing through Vader's and embedded deep through the life-support chest armour.

'_You will kill Luke Skywalker!_'

The Emperor's insane rage flooded through to Mara and she was entirely overwhelmed. Blackness encroached, but it was Skywalker's soothing whisper that was her last conscious thought.

_You have a great capacity for life, Mara. I'm here for you if you ever decide on another way_.

* * *

They clung to each other as the force of the explosion blazed over them, which was followed immediately by a blustering blue storm. Luke huddled over Leia and shielded them as much as he could with the Force, straining to maintain his connection amidst the agony of his grief.

He wasn't aware when exactly the quiet descended, only becoming conscious of his surroundings through the persistent tugging as Leia pulled free of his arms. Eyes wide, she peered around the curve of the elevator shaft.

All around them the formerly pristine black floor and polished duralloy walls were tarnished by the intense blaze from which Luke had succeeded in protecting them. And at the far end of the Throne Room – there was nothing.

Nothing at all. No throne, no viewport, not even the steps. The entire upper section had been blown away, gaping open to the fleets of ships suspended around the Death Star with the ring of Star Destroyers surrounding them. Only a faint shimmering betrayed the magnetic shield that had resealed the air in the chamber.

He was gone. He was really gone. She could feel it this time, the change in that faint sense that she hadn't been able to conjure with any control since it had erupted in her face on Geonosis, that evasive feeling just beyond her perception.

Anakin Skywalker, her father, was dead.

It took a while to realise that there was a weight on her shoulder. Luke stood beside her, his once boyish face haunted and older. She turned into the circle of his arms and buried her face in his shoulder, let her tears fall. She couldn't have stopped them if she'd tried.

* * *

Gold and Red Squadrons and their Imperial counterparts swooped around the large breath of space around the reactor core, remaining on alert as they carefully avoided each other. They had stopped firing following Piett and Strage's orders but they remained tense and nervous. Flying past each other without shooting ran against every instinct on both sides.

Keeping the line open to Wedge, Lando connected to Rieekan's comm. "What's going on out there?"

"Piett has arrived with one hell of a fleet of Star Destroyers and enforced a ceasefire," came the quiet response.

"Must be pretty crowded out there, the number of warships was ridiculous to begin with."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Naboo wobbled from the combined mass, I swear," Rieekan said. "Ackbar's updating Piett now on where we stand."

"Which is?"

"It seems that the _Defiance_ self-destructing against the superlaser dish caused enough damage to the outer firing mechanism to prevent it from destroying Naboo." Rieekan's relief was palpable.

"And the Emperor?" Wedge asked.

Rieekan paused. "There's been no word from Skywalker, but Madine's last report confirmed that Princess Leia was safe and well."

Nunb suddenly chattered away in his rolling tongue.

"_What?_ You sure?" Lando exclaimed as he swept past a formation of TIE Defenders. "How's that possible?"

Nunb was emphatic, chattering rapidly as he waved at his scan readings and at the reactor core in the centre of the cavern, formed like a giant stalactite and stalagmite column. Unlike a minute ago, however, it was now pulsing and glowing ominously.

Lando cleared his suddenly very dry throat. "Uh, General Rieekan, we have a problem. The damage to the firing array might mean the composite beam's not going anywhere, but as far as we can tell the superlaser charged up again through the eight tributary beams. We're getting massive readings off the reactor core from the back-up in power, we need you to confirm the data we're about to send you."

Nunb was already completing the transmission to _Home One_ where the technicians immediately pounced on it. Seconds later Ackbar's raspy, urgent voice came over the comm.

"General Calrissian, the hypermatter core has reached supercriticality and should have gone nova. How has it not exploded?"

* * *

Artoo unexpectedly found himself grateful for the Royal Guard who'd bashed him with the stun pole. It seemed to have dislodged an old fragment of data that he'd not detected in his vast memory banks, an old encryption algorithm that he and Anakin had created together during the Clone Wars to safeguard secure transmissions. It was unique in that the algorithm comprised several organic elements which often baffled inorganic processors.

Returning to the superlaser programming, he analysed the encryption in this new light and immediately detected the similarity. Artoo didn't know whether Palpatine had obtained it during the Clone Wars or if Anakin as Darth Vader had given it to him at some point, but that was irrelevant. All that mattered was that he could now adapt it and put the scrambled coding to order.

Plugged into the superlaser controls, Artoo knew from the power backing up from the superlaser's last charge that something had blocked the composite beam from being released. By his calculations the main reactor should have gone supercritical and exploded, but clearly something was preventing that. He had his suspicions what it was but he didn't want to bank on it being able to contain the critical core if the superlaser attempted to fire again.

It was with a strangely human-like sense of relief that he managed to decode the encryption and shut it down just before the next charge was triggered, and also re-programmed and re-scrambled the superlaser to make it incredibly difficult for anyone else to hack it and activate it again.

He trilled, deliberately pitched high so Madine might understand.

The General headed over immediately. "You've done it?"

Artoo chirped again and rocked backwards and forwards in an imitation of a human nod for good measure.

"Brilliant, Artoo!" Madine turned away to speak into his comlink.

Artoo swivelled his head to scan the room. He registered that the others had managed to secure the area, although only Madine, Han, Chewie and four others remained standing.

Just as Artoo considered how to communicate to the General that they needed to leave the Death Star with all haste, Madine began shouting from the other side of the room having finished speaking with Ackbar.

"We're moving out! Evacuate the Death Star!"

One problem solved. Now for the other...

Han raised it a second later. "Where's Leia?"

* * *

When a sharp screeching of metal resounded through the wreckage of the Throne Room, it was only from the instinct to protect Leia that Luke still had enough forethought to grab his lightsaber and activate it. He pushed her behind him.

"Luke! Leia!"

Luke took a while longer than usual to recognise the scruffy head that poked out of the hole cut into the floor of the now dysfunctional elevator.

"Great, you're both OK." Han pulled himself up out of the hole, eyes sweeping across the considerable damage around them and coming to rest on the crater blown open to the stars at the opposite end of the Throne Room. "Wow, is the scumbag dead?"

Chewie emerged through the hole behind him with a questioning howl.

Han holstered his blaster. "C'mon, we've gotta get outa here –"

"Han..." Leia slipped past her brother, rushed up to Han and melted into his arms.

"Hey," Han said, laughing at what he mistook for eagerness. "Good to see you again too, sweetheart." But then he spotted her tears and his voice instantly became tender with concern. "Hey, what is it?" He rubbed her back, trying to peer into her face as she pressed it into his chest. "Are you hurt? Is Luke hurt? What happened?" He got not answers from Leia. "Kid?"

Noticing Luke's stricken face of the first time, Han's eyes swept the Throne Room once more and finally realised the other significant absence.

"Where's Vader? Is he dead too?"

Leia cringing against his chest and the very visible pain that twisted Luke's face only reinforced the sneaking suspicion he'd been getting recently that he was missing a key part of the full picture.

"Is that... bad?"

Chewie growled at him to _shut up_.

"What?" he demanded, scowling back. It wasn't his fault if he put his foot in it if they insisted on keeping him in the dark.

Luke visibly gathered himself, taking a deep breath as he hooked his lightsaber back on his belt. He boxed away his inner anguish in the way that only a Jedi could, leaving but a shadow of himself but who could nevertheless function for the time being.

"We're alive, Han." Focusing more consciously on the Force again, Luke immediately heard its warning. "But we have to get off the Death Star, on the double."

Han wasn't surprised at Luke's way of mysteriously knowing things by now. "Yeah, as I was saying. It's about to blow."

* * *

The Force was whirling in jubilation as the Chosen One transformed into the Force.

Yoda's eyes were closed in concentration, his short arms still outstretched towards the gargantuan construction above him as he focused amidst the swell of the Force. The younglings' grief was raw against his senses, but he couldn't help a profound sense of relief. Leia's increasingly dark emotions had been a point of concern but that had now seemed to pass, no longer was she broiled in anger and fear. He didn't rejoice in her suffering but for the sake of the future of the galaxy and for her own, he was glad of the pureness of her grief.

There was a dangerous fizz at the forefront of his mind and he drew further on the Force to fortify the containment shield that he maintained around the reactor core. He was strong with the Force but his physical body weakened with every second that passed, and when the time came for him to follow Anakin into the Netherworld of the Force, the massive power of the reactor core would break free. He was considering how much longer he could afford to give the younglings when Luke's presence brushed his mind.

'_Master Yoda?_'

Yoda's reply was brisk, necessarily so. '_Go, you must. Quickly_.'

'_And you?_'

'_My time this is. Already know this, you did_.'

A pause. '_I did. But it's still not easy to bear_.'

Fresh was the passing of his father. Luke was doing well, containing his grief, but his control could only take so much.

'_Transform into the Force I will. My wish, this is. Rejoice for me you must, Master Skywalker_.'

There was a jolt at the unexpected appellation. As weakness sapped at his physical body, Yoda hummed in contentment. Yes, all was right. The young Skywalker, the new leader of the New Jedi Order. He could retire to the Force in peace.

'_Pass on what you have learned. Remember, a Jedi's ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Go now. Not much longer do I have, the others you must save_.'

A tendril of sorrow escaped Luke's control but his tone remained determined. '_I will. May the Force be with you, Master Yoda_.'

'_The Force is with you, Master Skywalker_,' Yoda returned, deliberately rephrasing the age-old maxim.

He gently but firmly shooed young Skywalker away from their mental link and drew on the last reserves of strength to maintain the shielding around the reactor core for as long as he could.

* * *

Four thousand shuttles and dropships swarmed around the Death Star, ferrying two and half million officers, troops and technicians indiscriminately to Star Destroyers and Alliance cruisers alike in the largest mass evacuation in living memory. Suspicion and tension remained rife, but with Piett enforcing the ceasefire and the Imperials' vested interests in saving their own lives, old prejudices were necessarily put on hold and there were few incidents even when the numerous warships were crammed full to bursting and Alliance and Imperial soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder.

The recently appointed Grand Admiral turned as the doors hissed open and a young man he'd previously only met via hololink stepped in. By mutual agreement each side had sent a dignitary to the flagship of the other, and while Commander Jerjerrod was received on _Home One_, Skywalker had elected himself the Alliance representative to attend the _Executor_. Piett was secretly glad of the opportunity to properly meet his commander's son.

Dressed in close-fitting black attire with a lightsaber clipped to his belt, Piett was immediately struck by the incredible blueness of Skywalker's eyes that locked onto him from across the bridge. Even during their initial conversation in holographic form Skywalker had seemed to read his innermost thoughts with a single look, but now that the Jedi was standing there in the flesh, the air of otherworldliness about him, a sense of being extraordinary and somehow more than human, was intensified a hundredfold. Piett unconsciously straightened his posture a little, standing more to attention as Skywalker glanced around the bridge that his father had commanded.

Wide eyes in the twin crew pits followed the young man as he crossed the command walkway, not only from the exceptional sight of a Jedi walking freely on the _Executor_'s bridge but from the sheer _presence_ of the man that they could feel even if they couldn't have named it.

Piett waved away Admiral Chiraneau and Commander Gherant at his elbow and the stormtroopers escorting Skywalker – who were acting more as though they were guarding a prisoner – and waited alone by the forward viewports. There was little privacy to be had on the bridge but here afforded more than most. As Skywalker approached, Piett noted the angry red wound carved high on his right cheek – in Piett's opinion the battle wound lent him a dangerous edge.

As Skywalker drew up alongside him, Piett bowed in a deliberate show of respect – the Jedi knew how Piett felt, it was more for the benefit of the crew than for the young man. "Welcome aboard the _Executor_, Master Skywalker," he greeted loudly enough to be heard across the bridge.

True enough, Piett didn't need to be Force-sensitive to pick up on the surprise that rippled along the rows of operators at his affording Skywalker the sort of deference only reserved for those of highest rank, and with Piett's newly elevated position where only the Emperor and Lord Vader were considered his superiors and the Grand Vizier his equal, it was high distinction indeed. They had no idea what to make of it.

"Thank you Admiral," Luke said, nodding back. "Or should I say, _Grand_ Admiral."

Piett gave a small shake of his head to dismiss the matter, it wasn't important. He glanced at the Death Star and dropped his voice. "I could not contact Lord Vader. Are matters... concluded?"

He didn't know Skywalker well enough to have seen past the mask until now, but he didn't miss the strain betrayed in that young face at the mention of Vader. Skywalker blinked, turning away briefly. When he replied equally quietly his mask was securely back in place and he was clearly maintaining a level tone through great exertion of will.

"He gave his life. The deed is done."

Piett was genuinely saddened to receive that news and felt an unexpected pang. But as he regarded Skywalker bearing the fresh grief of his loss with admiral strength and self-discipline, he also had an appreciation of how fortunate Lord Vader had been to have reconciled with his son before his death.

"I'm so sorry," he offered, quietly but with great feeling. As those bright eyes met his gaze, he knew the Jedi had understood the depth of his sentiments.

"Thank you," Luke said softly. He took a deep breath, then squared his shoulders and glanced out of the vast viewport at the Death Star. He stared intently for several seconds, seeing and hearing things that only he could perceive, before he turned back to the Grand Admiral.

"It's time to withdraw all ships, sir. The Death Star will explode in moments."

In the same way that Piett had trusted when Lord Vader simply _knew_ things, he didn't question Skywalker now. This last had been spoken loud enough for Chiraneau and Gherant to overhear and both were perplexed as to why Piett and Skywalker both addressed each other as though the other held higher rank, but as soon as Piett nodded to the Commander, Gherant's training kicked in and he was efficient in giving the signal across all four fleets milling around the battlestation.

The gallimaufry of hundreds of capital warships and medium-sized transports and the thousands of starfighters sped away from the Death Star moments before the monstrous battlestation exploded into a fiery star.

* * *

He had known it was a bad idea. He had even protested, although admittedly it had been half-hearted at best and he'd rather easily allowed himself to be persuaded. But oh, how he regretted staying behind now! Hours of waiting, hours of his processors whizzing overtime with all the possible probabilities of all the possible eventualities... The overgrown scrap pile couldn't keep himself or Master Luke safe, he should have gone with them!

Threepio's audio receptors perked up as Mothma began speaking with Ackbar. Dithering on the fringes of the bridge of the _Reef Home_, he picked up enough of Mothma's side of the conversation to surmise the outcome of the battle and who had survived, and his poor overworked processors were finally able to relax.

"Thank goodness, I'm so glad!" he said to nobody in particular.

The comlink Master Luke had given him began beeping and he tottered away from the activity on the bridge for some quiet.

"Hello? Hello?" he said uncertainly, never sure whether the one on the other end could hear.

A pause, then came a quiet female voice, "Who am I speaking to?"

"Oh, hello, I am C-3PO, human–cyborg relations. How might I serve you?"

"Threepio," the female sighed in what he interpreted as resigned disappointment, although he did find a lot of human behaviour rather perplexing so he might have been mistaken. "Right, Threepio, you'll have to do. I have a vital message for Mothma so listen very, _very_ carefully."

And listen he did, and as he listened, his internal processors became extremely agitated all over again.

"Oh my... Oh my! Chief Mothma! Chief Mothma!" He hurried over to the startled Alliance Commander in Chief right through the equally startled crew as fast as his clumsy legs could carry him. "We're in grave danger! There are twenty V-1 thermal detonators charged throughout the _Reef Home_! We're doomed!"

For precisely two point one eight two five seconds the humans didn't react, then all at once hands were grabbing comlinks and officers, technicians and operators were being alerted all throughout the MC80 _Liberty_-type Mon Calamari Star Cruiser.

"Threepio, do you know where they are?" Mothma asked as she approached him.

The droid listed the locations and deactivation codes the female voice had given him, and one by one they were neutralised throughout the ship. Mothma ordered a full sweep of the _Reef Home_ as well as the two escorting Mon Calamari cruisers, and also alerted Ackbar to search the primary and secondary fleets at Naboo. She returned once more to Threepio's side.

"Threepio, you saved us from a terrible disaster, thank you."

"Oh no, Chief Mothma, I merely answered my comlink."

Mothma studied him closely. "It was a tip-off?"

"Yes, it came through on this comlink that Master Luke gave me. Although I did have the impression that she had wished to speak to somebody else..." Threepio would have shrugged if he had been able to. "She was very insistent that I listened to her, and she informed me of the Emperor's back-up plan to destroy the leader of the Alliance."

"She? Who was it?"

"I'm afraid she didn't identify herself – oh!" Threepio cried as though he had surprised himself. "I forgot, I can run a voice analysis. One moment please." He analysed the recorded audio file against his databanks, then ran it again only to come up with the same result.

"Chief Mothma," Threepio reported in a voice of amazement, "there is a four thousand, seven hundred and thirty seven to one possibility that my analysis is in error, but as far as I can determine the caller appears to have been Mara Jade."

* * *

No one had seen or heard from the Emperor and Darth Vader since the spectacular destruction of the Death Star and rumours ran riot. Every conceivable notion abound, be it that they had merely been evacuated to safety or that the entire affair with Naboo had been nothing more than an elaborate hoax. One extremely far-fetched suggestion even went so far as to suppose that they'd gone on vacation and had forgotten to inform anybody. The most popular theory, however, attributed their disappearance to their demise.

Sate Pestage, the Grand Vizier on Imperial Center, declared a state of emergency and summoned the most senior officers in government and the Imperial Navy with the aim of instating an emergency council, only to learn that many were in attendance at Naboo by order of the newly appointed Deputy Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces.

Highly put out to suddenly discover that he had a rival to his eminent position at the Emperor's right hand second only to Vader, he contacted the new Grand Admiral – only this time to be dismissed curtly with the assurance that matters were in hand and that he would receive further notification shortly.

It was some time later when Ysanne Isard, the Director of Imperial Intelligence, was pacing in his opulent office as they attempted to hash out a plan of breaking Piett's hold over the Imperial Navy that Pestage received the alarming notification that the thirty-strong Death Squadron fleet had arrived in its entirety over Imperial Center.

The resident guard fleet, at half strength with Palpatine having sent many of its Star Destroyers to Naboo, was hamstrung as Death Squardron immediately took up formation around them. Troop transports swooped down to the ecumenopolis and minutes later the Imperial Palace was overrun by the 501st Legion – with their weapons set on stun – and placed under emergency security lockdown by order of Lord Vader's proxy.

Barely had the media pounced on this shocking story when IHV broadcast two holorecordings that further sucker-punched the galaxy one after another.

The first was from the Throne Room of the Death Star, obliterating the carefully cultivated image of a benevolent Emperor Palpatine and betraying his true self which couldn't have been anything but. On the contrary, the rebels Luke Skywalker and Princess Organa, who had always been depicted as inciting war and disorder, were now seen defending Naboo and other planets from Palpatine's callous disregard for life. In a matter of seconds it turned the collective view of the Civil War completely on its head.

The second was preceded with a fanfare of the Imperial anthem. At its conclusion the Imperial emblem was replaced by the instantly recognisable mask of Darth Vader, and his deep, rumbling message rendered quadrillions of people speechless in homes, shops, ships, government buildings and public spaces right across the galaxy.

* * *

"Citizens of the galaxy. I record this message as I travel to the Death Star in a bid to prevent Emperor Palpatine from destroying Naboo. If you are seeing this, he is dead.

Palpatine left no heir and thus I am the lawful successor to the Galactic Throne. As Emperor Vader, I make three immediate decrees. Grand Admiral Firmus Piett, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, will verify the legitimacy of this recording and act as my enforcer.

The first decree is to reinstate the immediate ceasefire between the Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

The second is the declaration of a secret peace treaty between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Separate negotiations were undertaken covertly between myself and the Rebel Alliance in parallel with the public talks in the Nabooian capital of Theed; these secret terms will now be made public, and implemented verbatim and with the full weight of Imperial law with immediate effect. This will serve as a temporary measure until a more lasting peace is forged.

As for the third...

Those of you old enough to have lived before the Clone Wars will remember a time when the Jedi Order stood as the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, before history was fabricated and the Jedi were unjustly vilified and persecuted.

For twenty-three years I aided my Dark Master Palpatine in ruling the galaxy in fear. But no more. It is time to end the dark days of the Sith, time for a new beginning for the galaxy. And so, as my third and last declaration as Emperor, I hereby relinquish the Galactic Throne to my heir and legal successor – Master Jedi, Luke Skywalker.

This is my last address as Darth Vader. May the Force be with you, Emperor Skywalker."


	21. - - - rises a phoenix

**A/N: **Wow, I've really divided opinions, even more so than when Leia rejected Anakin's apology way back at the end of Ch 13 and I thought _that_ had provoked strong reactions! Many of you still seem to be enjoying the story but quite a number seem to be totally and utterly devastated with Anakin dying. I _am_ sorry to have upset you, but his reasons for giving his life are explained in the same scene and also in view of how I plan for this story to conclude, I stand by my decision of what happened. Having said that, after this story is complete I might be persuaded to write an alternative ending next year depending on demand. I originally envisaged two other possible outcomes – a Happily Ever After of sorts, or a much, _much_ darker one. Let me know if you're interested in reading either of these.

Now for today's update. PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A VERY SHORT CHAPTER! There's one more full-length chapter to go after this, but this is an extremely short one dedicated for a single scene. Something of this nature deserves to stand on its own. Might be good to find a quiet moment to read it, if you can.

**Disclaimer:** SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 21. ... rises a phoenix**

No sight, sound, nor smell. No taste, no touch. But a sense of _something_.

Definitely something.

Fleeting whispers of sensation, indistinct and intangible. Nothing more than a sense of the ethereal.

Gradually, oh so gradually over an indefinable length of time, oblivion evolved into awareness, like the hazy awakening from slumber where there is no determinable point when sleep stops and consciousness begins, just a seamless flow that slowly transforms into something else.

With awareness came an extraordinary sense of _self_, made remarkable precisely by its reinstatement highlighting its previous absence. And with it, the sense of the ubiquitous _something_ became something more, into something familiar, and it prevailed until, finally, it became something that could be named.

The Living Force. Luminescent, alive, and astounding, a brilliant wash of life and energy of such lustre as he had never known. He marvelled, he was awed, he was humbled.

It might have been a second, or it might have been a lifetime. Time held no meaning here as his soul soared in rapture amidst an ocean of the very essence of life.

There came a voice. A voice from a time long past, long lost to the fog of old memory that he could not have recalled it if asked, but still instantly recognisable now that he heard it.

'_Anakin_.'

It pierced like an arrow, straight and true, right back to the time of innocence before there had been any inkling of darkness, when there was only the blazing aspiration to free his mother and all the slaves of Tatooine, the dream of being the first one to see all the planets amidst the vast blanket of stars.

He might have turned, it was difficult to tell in this place where there was only the Force, but somehow he homed in on the voice, brought its owner into focus.

He was greeted with a sight he had never thought he'd see again. The long, greying, brown hair half secured back, the moustache and beard that was an integral part of the face, the same loose Jedi robes. But what struck him the most were those eyes – kindly eyes touched by the sadness of seeing too many wars, wizened by experience.

The apparition shimmered, luminous as Obi-Wan had been. '_The Force is with you, Anakin_.'

That voice! Its gentle tones soothed over him, as comforting and familiar as if he'd heard it only yesterday.

'_... Master Qui-Gon ..._'

'_Much you have seen, but much there is still to learn_.' Qui-Gon tilted his head thoughtfully, his beard shifting with the light-hearted smile that held no judgement, only compassion and the fondness that might have been for a son. '_After all these years we are together again, here at the beginning and end of all things_. _Perhaps now, at last, I'm meant to teach you, Anakin_.'

Anakin couldn't help but stare in wonder, feeling as though he'd been thrown once more into his nine-year-old self when he'd crossed anew onto the path of destiny and the whole galaxy waited to be explored.

Buoyed by the warm gaze of the man who might have been his father, Anakin held dear the memories of his mother, wife, children, and the man who might have been his brother, and walked whole-heartedly from the darkness of his past into his new future.

He didn't look back.


	22. The ties that bind

**A/N: **Hello again!

It has been an extraordinary 20 months since I last updated, with our lives transformed by a beautiful baby boy! I wish that I'd been able to finish this story before he was born, it was never my intention to keep you all waiting so outrageously long! It's not been the easiest road for us and we're very blessed to have this wonderful child in our lives. I have to admit that some of my feelings have influenced the story, such as Anakin's sacrifice to save Luke and Leia. Really, if your children's lives were at risk, what wouldn't you do to save them?

I suppose the story _could_ have ended at the end of Chap 21 but when I'm reading other people's stories I like it when there's a bit of closure... So here we are, back at the end. But then, as I resumed working on what was supposed to be the last chapter, it grew and grew... and grew... until the one chapter turned into THREE! Bonus, huh? I couldn't resist putting more action in so the next chapters are packed full of it. They're halfway there so I should be updating much more quickly on those... Like, within the year... Kidding ;-) Honestly, though, writing this takes a lot of time and effort, but I'm foregoing sleep trying to complete it as quickly as I can, so please bear with me!

I need to warn you though, I feel that my writing style has changed (deteriorated?) quite a lot in the interim! It was rather shocking when I returned to typing, how hard it was to form the phrases I could almost see in my head but couldn't quite capture in words. So I'm sorry if you find the reading cumbersome or dull or noticeably different to before... I hope there's still something you can enjoy in this.

Lastly, but by no means least, _Thank You_ to all those who have been reading, reviewing and PM'ing me, even through the hiatus. Your support spurred me to keep writing and finish this story and not give up. You know who you are, this is for you.

So, TWO MORE CHAPTERS TO GO. This one, contrary to the lengthy gap between updates, continues right off the bat after Anakin's nice little surprise at the end of Chap 20:  
_"This is my last address as Darth Vader. May the Force be with you, Emperor Skywalker."_

Peace, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer: **No prizes for guessing, SW is not mine.

* * *

**For family **

**Chapter 22. The ties that bind  
**

A quiet life, of earnest hard work and dedication to the Force. The rigours of physical exertion attuning the body and mind; meditation enabling a closer unity with the Force. Working from the shadows, contributing to the efforts to restore democracy and social order and equality, just one unsung hand amongst the many that made up the whole, no more or less remarkable than the next. Living and working alongside family and friends.

Right here, right now, that was all Luke wanted. _Adventure. Heh_, Master Yoda had admonished. _Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things! _Luke would later wonder, since they were all things opposite to adventure and excitement, whether his Master might forgive him for this one moment of weakness in wishing that the twists and turns of his life had led him elsewhere.

He had long had to make peace with the unavoidable notoriety garnered by simply being a Jedi fighting in the rebellion, and destroying the Death Star had earned him hero worship and hatred alike, uncomfortable both.

But this...

_This_...!

"Is this legitimate, Grand Admiral?" somebody asked.

The voice could have belonged to any of the Alliance leaders; Luke could barely hear over the roar of blood rushing in his ears.

"It is," came the response. Luke only registered it as Piett due to the proximity of the voice by his elbow; the actual meaning of the words clean escaped him. "Lord Vader wished for a swift resolution to the war and the restoration of democracy, which I understand he also conveyed to the Alliance party at Theed. But it was also his opinion that his involvement would hinder, rather than aid, that transition, and so he determined that Master Skywalker should succeed the throne following Palpatine's death."

_But... Emperor?_

Luke sought Leia's gaze across the flicker of holographic blue.

He was unaware that at that moment he particularly resembled a startled eopie caught in a landspeeder's headlights, his glazed blue eyes as round as the _Falcon_.

_... EMPEROR?!_

A shuddering breath eventually escaped him. "Oh, Force..."

* * *

Throughout the combined Alliance fleet and across the multitude of hidden cells scattered across the galaxy, rebel fighters froze for as many seconds as it took for their shock to fizzle into hope, which in turn soared into amazement.

Then they erupted in wild elation.

In orbit around Naboo, Imperial officers and personnel crammed alongside them in Imperial and Alliance ships alike warily regarded their jubilation. But as they witnessed the euphoric joy of these rebels who had set aside their differences to save the lives of their former enemies, a surprising number of them couldn't help but experience the smallest sliver of hope.

* * *

The palm-sized holotransmission of the Imperial emblem condensed into a pebble of blue light, then vanished, and the cockpit was once more illuminated by the combined moonshine from Ohma-D'un and Rori, two of Naboo's moons.

There was a heavy sigh.

Wedge was left staring at the intricate mosaic of switches and levers surrounding him, the controls to fly the nimble X-wing like an extension of his own body. He knew that Luke would lose all this, being the Emperor. But it was more than the controls to a starfighter that his friend would lose. Control over his day-to-day life, responsibilities and obligations, the freedom of normalcy – even what little he had, being a Jedi.

Knowing his friend as he did, Wedge knew that the elevation to the highest seat in the galaxy wouldn't be seen as a blessing. And it was a path that he couldn't follow.

"Sorry I can't be your wingman on this one, boss."

He wondered when the brilliant pilot would be able to take to the stars again.

* * *

The old cooker spat and hissed in the dusty kitchen. Tatoo I followed Tatoo II to scorch the next hemisphere. Moisture collected into a precious droplet of water in one of the many vaporators.

All went unnoticed.

Fixer and Camie stared slack-jawed at the Imperial emblem, Darth Vader's deathly mask still imprinted on their retinas.

"Luke Skywalker? ... As in, _Wormie_?"

* * *

Queen Kylantha remembered the unassuming young Jedi who had accompanied the Alliance party during the recent negotiations and, having spent many years as nothing more than an Imperial puppet, felt a considerable sense of relief that she would never have admitted.

Pooja Naberrie refused to be so reserved. Smiling brightly and foregoing all semblance of formal austerity, she was the first to officially acknowledge Emperor Skywalker in a public statement of gratitude to the Rebel Alliance for saving all the people of Naboo.

* * *

Luke barely heard the leaders' excited chatter on the implications of one of the Alliance's own becoming the next Emperor. Feeling entirely too overwhelmed, he mumbled an excuse to the holofigures of his friends and slipped away from the conference table, only to find Piett at his side before he could reach the door.

"Luke," Piett said quietly, informally using his first name now that they were out of the holoprojector's field, "I'll escort you if there's anywhere in particular you'd like to go, just until you get your bearings. Perhaps to your father's quarters?"

Luke just about sensed that Piett had picked up on his wanting to be alone, as well as the subtle implication that it might not be wise for him to be wondering around on the _Executor_ alone just now.

"Of course, thank you Piett."

They received many odd looks as they traversed the Super Star Destroyer, not only the Jedi named as Vader's successor but also the Grand Admiral who strode easily beside him. Even with the natural caution evoked in Imperials by the Jedi's presence, Piett was having to wave away numerous attempts to approach them to verify Vader's message and Luke found his composure under increased strain the further they went. It was with obvious relief to find the last few corridors leading to what had been his father's private quarters mercifully deserted.

Piett indicated the access pad by the sealed doors. "I understand Lord Vader set all his security systems to grant you full access."

"But he never..." Luke trailed off as he remembered the curious few seconds in Theed when his father had taken a swab from his mouth, scanned his eyes and taken his left palm print.

He placed his left hand on the palm reader. It flashed green and the doors slid open with a hiss of hydraulics.

How long had his father been planning this? For all that the Alliance leaders had worried that Vader wouldn't relinquish the Throne when the time came, had his father ever intended to take it in the first place? When had he decided to give his life to defeat Palpatine?

... Had he even intended to return?

"You can reach me on my com if you need anything," Piett said gently and gestured Luke into the room.

Luke numbly stepped past the doors, barely registered Piett sealing them closed behind him.

In the gloom of the former Dark Lord's sanctuary, Luke stumbled to a standstill, struck by the concentration of pain and rage and anguish accumulated over the years as though he had smacked head-first into a durasteel wall. But interwoven through all that, piercing through the oppressive hold of darkness in recent months, were the lingering traces of desperate hope and powerful, unconditional love.

It brought him to his knees.

Struggling against the throbbing ache in his chest at what he had lost, he closed his eyes, but all he could see was the red lightsaber protruding out of the middle of the black cape. He cast his eyes up, fighting tears.

His broken gasp cut through the still air. "Why, father? Why did you have to die?"

* * *

Han studied Leia out of the corner of his eyes all through the short hop between ships. At first glance she seemed perfectly composed, but she was entirely too motionless to be truly calm. She had insisted that she would be fine on her own but there wasn't a chance in hell that Han was letting her march on board the Super Star Destroyer without him, ceasefire or recent victory or otherwise.

They were greeted by Piett himself, accompanied only by two officers. "Welcome aboard the _Executor_, Princess Leia. I am relieved to see you safe and well, Lord Vader was most determined to ensure your rescue."

Everyone started at this, taken aback at such an inclination from the Dark Lord regarding a Rebel leader. Leia's torment was due to an entirely different reason.

"I am grateful for your kind wishes, Grand Admiral," she said smoothly, bringing all her training to bear in concealing her distress.

"May I present my advisor, Admiral Chiraneau, and First Officer of the _Executor_, Commander Gherant. Protocol dictates that a platoon of stormtroopers also be in attendance when welcoming a dignitary on board but I felt that it may not be the most reassuring gesture under the circumstances. I mean no disrespect, your Highness."

Piett's tone was genuinely sincere and Leia was starting to agree with Luke's assessment of the man being an honest and valuable ally. The two officers with him exchanged a glance, seemingly unsure of what to do with their commanding officer's cordial reception of these Rebels.

"It's very considerate of you," she replied with genuine warmth. "We appreciate it. I believe you know General Solo and Chewbacca."

Piett nodded to them. "Yes, we met when Lord Vader secreted them on board before our aborted mission to Endor," he revealed, shocking his fellow officers further. Ignoring them, he said to Leia, "Now, I would invite you for refreshments but I understand you wish to see Luke?"

Leia smothered a smile at the expression that she knew would be on Han's face at this Imperial officer referring to their friend in such a familiar manner. Her brief moment of mirth died as Piett continued.

"He is resting in Lord Vader's private quarters. This way, please."

* * *

Even with her Force sensitivity on mute, Leia could sense enough of the turmoil from Vader's dark years lingering in the air to be distinctly uncomfortable as she stepped in alone and the door shut behind her.

Black floor, polished until it reflected like the Nabooian lakes in the still of night. Spartan furnishings, everything cold and dark and devoid of life. The whole place reminded her of her incarceration aboard the Death Star, when Vader had –

She took a deep breath, consciously bringing to mind how he had come to the Second Death Star to save her, how he had thrown himself at Palpatine again and again to save her and her brother. The clamouring scratching of dark memories receded, the fear replaced by keen sorrow and guilt.

An extended hiss of depressurising air drew her attention to the large spherical construct in the middle of the room. Its jagged top half yawned open to reveal her brother seated within.

"Luke," she murmured.

Their eyes locked for a long second before she headed across the spotless floor. Luke scooted aside to make room for her; the seat within was large enough to squeeze them both in. It was hard and metallic, like everything else here, with what appeared to be medical equipment fixed all around and on the underside of the lid above them.

"This was his hyperbaric chamber," Luke said quietly as she settled beside him. "Can you imagine? The whole time I was growing up on Tatooine and complaining about being stuck on Uncle Owen's moisture farm, for twenty-two years, he was stuck in the mask or in one of these chambers just to be able to breathe." He sighed. "_Twenty-two years_, before his operation."

Leia glanced at him in question, certain that Anakin wouldn't have had time to tell him.

"I've been meditating," Luke explained.

_Oh_, she mouthed silently.

He leaned back against the rigid headrest and stared up at the metallic fingers suspended above them. He shook his head. "It should've been you."

Clearly he was no longer talking about the mask. "What should have been me?"

"What do I know about politics? It's critical where the galaxy goes from here, I can't figure out why he announced me as his successor."

"Oh, that." Her air seemed to become even more sorrowful. "You know, he made the right decision. I think... I think he understood."

"Understand _what_?" he asked, the slight edge in his voice betraying the headache he'd given himself trying to unravel it.

"Do you see politics in your future, Luke?"

He answered, even though it was obvious. "No."

"And how about mine?"

"Of course."

A sad smile touched Leia's lips. "He called this a new beginning, Luke. And I believe that's what he wanted, I really do. You'll be Emperor for as long as it takes to oversee the return of democracy, then it'll be time for new leadership. You'll be known as the Jedi who held the galaxy in his grasp, and set it free. And those new leaders..." She regarded him with her warm brown eyes. "Do you think the galaxy could truly be free of the past if any of those leaders had been named as Darth Vader's successor?"

For a Jedi who had meditated the nature of his father's operation out of thin air, he felt remarkably dense. "Well, when you put it like that," Luke quipped in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the tone. He gave up and sighed. "Father always said that politics was our mother's arena. But it seems he understood more than he let on."

Leia swallowed and turned away. "He really loved her, didn't he?"

Luke's reply was to lay his left hand over hers. The physical contact wasn't necessary to establish a mental link but it helped, and it was comforting. En route to Polis Massa with an injured and unconscious Leia, Anakin had shared the memory of his secret wedding ceremony at Varykino and Luke now shared it with Leia – the sparkling lake and the beautiful arbor, but by far the most beautiful was their mother bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, with every feeling one of love, joy, and tranquillity.

Leia swallowed past a lump that welled up in her throat.

"He's with her now," he said softly through his own sorrow. "However we might feel right now, he had finally found peace."

She blinked back tears, shook her head as guilt rushed over her and left her nauseous. "The last thing I said to him, Luke! He was apologising for what he did to me but I couldn't accept it, I couldn't forgive him. I _wanted_ to hurt him and I was so cruel, _so_ cruel. If only I could take it back!"

"He knew, Leia." He took both her hands in his. "He knew how you felt. Remember this?" He recalled the sense of utter peace and love that their father had shared moments before his death and sent it through his connection with Leia.

"And this," he said, recalling what had effectively been a blessing. '_Your brother was right about Solo_.'

"He knew, and he wanted you to be happy."

She didn't know if that made her feel better or worse. She had been utterly heartless, but his dying wish was for her happiness.

And now, as she clasped her brother's hands – one organic, the other lost to Vader and now a prosthetic – she couldn't help but be reminded of what _she_ had almost done to Luke.

His senses still connected to her, Luke knew exactly where her thoughts had gone. "Hey," he said firmly. "That wasn't you, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"But of course I do! I held Darth Vader in so much contempt and in the end I proved I was no better!"

"All that you proved was that the Dark Side consumes and corrupts. Father turned to the Dark Side because he was desperate to save our mother, and you were almost driven to it because _my_ life was in danger. And you did save me, Leia. You saved my life."

"But I almost became what _he_ had become!"

"Only because you didn't know what the Dark Side was. You've never been trained in the Force, never been taught how to draw on the Light Side and avoid the temptations of the Dark Side. Do you want to know something? You did a lot better than I did."

She frowned, clearly disagreeing.

"I had the training, I had all the warnings, but I still almost fell to the Dark Side. When you were shot on Geonosis, I was afraid that I'd lose you. I was desperately reaching for the Force to try and heal you, but it wasn't the Light Side that answered my call."

"But you didn't turn."

"No, father stopped me just in time, made me aware what I was doing. So you see, when I went to the Death Star I knew exactly what I was fighting. But you went in blind, and still held true for as long as you did through sheer strength of will."

She stared intently at his prosthetic hand, avoiding his gaze as she voiced her fears. "Our... _father_," she said carefully, tasting the term out loud for the first time, "I believe, was a good man. And yet he became Darth Vader. In that Throne Room, it scares me how easy it was to draw on the Dark Side. _Natural_, even. Palpatine clearly saw it too. Looking back now, it's easy to see that it was me that he thought he could turn, not you. How do I know that I won't turn one day, Luke? How do I know that I won't turn to the Dark Side the next time someone threatens you, or Han, or another planet?"

Although it felt like he had lived a lifetime since, it wasn't so very long ago that Master Yoda had helped Luke with the same fears. "Do you know how father turned back from the Dark Side?"

"Because of you."

"In a way. It was because there was something he cared about more than power or anything else the Dark Side could offer, because to him, I was more important. He couldn't have both, so it was an easy decision for him. What do you care about the most, Leia?"

The answer was in her eyes, he didn't need her to say it.

"Like father, you run on intense emotions. But I'll teach you how to use the Force, how to draw on the Light Side and even to channel your feelings in a way that doesn't invoke the Dark Side. Father had the remarkable strength to reject the Dark Side, the same strength that you have. Hold those you love close in your heart, Leia, and you'll stay with them in the Light Side of the Force."

As she contemplated this, gradually the fearful shadows cleared from deep in her mind and little by little she felt herself settle at the reassurance.

At length, she was left with a muted, somewhat numb sense of emotional exhaustion. "Thank you Luke."

He shrugged against her shoulder. "What are big brothers for?"

She turned to him in mock indignation. "_Big_ brother? What makes you think _you're_ the older one?"

His eyes took on a telltale glint and he opened his mouth –

"And _don't_ say you meditated," she retorted before he could say precisely that. "You can't just use that to back up every baseless assertion you make, you know."

He couldn't help it, he laughed. But grief and overwrought emotions turned the laughter to tears.

"Hey, it's getting mighty boring out –" Han stopped dead at the sight of Leia and Luke snugly sharing the single seat in what he'd dubbed Vader's egg machine, and would have walked straight back out had it not been for Luke's obvious distress.

"Kid?"

Leia waved them over as Luke visibly composed himself. Han shuffled in awkwardly but Chewie had no such reservation; with a mournful wail he loped right over to the pod and leaned in awkwardly to engulf them both in his hairy embrace.

Han hooked his thumbs on the holster strap hung low over his hips. "Is this about Vader?"

He didn't miss how Leia's eyes flickered to Luke. He hesitated, then decided to plunge right ahead. "Or should I say, Anakin Skywalker?"

Three pairs of startled eyes shot towards him and he wondered if he should be offended at their surprise. "Oh, c'mon, it might've taken me a while but he called himself Anakin, I was bound to figure it out sooner or later!"

Even in his harsh upbringing, the Hero With No Fear had been famous enough, and Han old enough, for him to have heard of the Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars. Between Vader and Luke they had left enough clues left, right and centre for Han to put two and two together, and if that hadn't been enough, Vader had gone and proclaimed Luke as his heir and successor to the whole blasted galaxy.

Han still wasn't Vader's biggest fan but he knew the old man had meant something to Luke. "I'm sorry, kid," he said honestly.

Luke dropped his head in his hands, his voice heavy. "What're you going to do?"

Han blinked. "Do?"

Luke peered up through the curtain of his hair, studied Han for a long second. "Vader was my father, Han. Aren't you... angry? Suspicious of me?"

Unusually for Han, he seemed to work through the words in his head before he spoke. "I won't go into what I think of Vader. All I know is, I know _you_. Why would that change?"

Luke was still staring at his friend.

"Look, I'm sure as hell nothing like my old man, why would you be? And I'm not going to go yabbering to everyone, if that's what you're thinking. If _you_ want to, then that's your business, though personally I wouldn't call that one of your best ideas. But I do have a bone to pick with _you_, _pal_," he continued, rounding on the Wookiee. "You knew. I _know_ you knew. And you never told me."

Chewie shrugged, unrepentant, and _rrhwr-rrhwr-rrhwr_'ed something.

"They _smelled_ related?" Han repeated.

Luke was smiling faintly as he glanced at Leia.

Han caught the private look. Something clenched inside him and he was suddenly not interested in picking this bone with Chewie. He spun on his heel and headed straight for the door. "I'll be in the _Falcon_ when you're all ready to go."

"Han."

Han feigned deafness and walked out.

"Han, it's not what you –"

The doors closed on Luke's calm voice of reason. Han managed to go another four paces before the doors opened behind him, and then another two before he was physically hoisted off the ground and carted back to Vader's quarters.

"Hey! Put me down, you oaf!"

Chewie ignored him and carried him right back to the egg machine. Luke waved a hand and the doors hissed shut behind them of their own accord.

"Han, you've got this all wrong," Luke said, sounding rather amused.

Han took some comfort from the fact that Leia looked as confused as he did. "What is there to _get_ wrong?" he demanded.

Luke turned to Leia. "He thinks that we're... we're..." Luke flapped a hand, gesturing the air between them.

"Oh," Leia breathed, finally understanding all of Han's strange behaviour since Geonosis. "Oh!" She shook her head. "Oh, no," she said, laughing now. "Oh, I see!"

Even Chewie was smirking, Han was sure of it.

"See _what_?" he demanded, increasingly frustrated.

Leia alone seemed to take pity on him. She hopped out of the egg machine and came over to him, gently took his hand and gave it a meaningful squeeze.

"Han, he's my brother."

The look of astonishment on Han's face was priceless. "... Brother?"

Luke waved cheerfully. "Her _big_ brother."

Leia rolled her eyes. "That's still under debate."

"_Brother_?" Han repeated.

Leia smiled. Chewie began chuckling.

"Don't tell me," Han suddenly accused the Wookiee, "they _smelled_ related?"

_It wasn't my secret to tell_, Chewie woofed back.

Han couldn't even start to be annoyed, not when Leia was _not with Luke_ and she was standing there holding his hand. He knew he was grinning inanely but he didn't care. He looked at her, drinking in the sight of her as he hadn't allowed himself to since he'd first mistakenly convinced himself that she and Luke were together.

That was when he noticed her peering at him apprehensively and he immediately became concerned. He was just about to ask what had happened when he realised – Luke... Vader... Leia... That time on Polis Massa when he'd walked in on what could well have been a funeral for all their misery, when Leia couldn't tell him what Luke had told her – Vader was Leia's father!

It was shocking but Han didn't delve into all the complications that that one fact could have caused. In his view it was perfectly simple – Leia was Leia, and that was all there was to it. She hesitantly clutched his hand, unusually timid and anxious as she waited for his reaction at this revelation, and the only thing that mattered was the way he felt about this tiny, amazing woman full of fire and life. How was it that of all the people in the galaxy, she'd chosen him?

All the built-up tension from his misunderstandings since he'd awoken on Geonosis ebbed away. Not trusting his voice, all he could do was gather her close in his arms. It was all the answer she needed.

* * *

"Yes, Grand Admiral?"

"I apologise for the interruption, your Imperial Majesty," Piett said, and Luke knew from his formal address that Piett had an audience. "I felt I should inform you that we have been fielding calls for the last half hour, with various dignitaries wishing to congratulate the new successor to the Imperial throne."

Luke didn't need to know the ins and outs of politics to know that a high proportion wouldn't have been genuinely friendly and Piett was subtly giving him a heads-up. It also reminded him that there was a phenomenal amount of work needing attention, not least of which was that he couldn't carry on using one of the most highly developed and armoured battleships in the galaxy as his personal office forever. "You were right to contact me, I appreciate the update."

"I will forward the list of callers later, but in view of recent events, I thought perhaps in the meantime you might be interested to hear that the former Senator of the Chommell Sector, Pooja Naberrie, requested an audience at your convenience."

Luke met Leia's eyes, both thinking the same thing and suddenly excited and nervous at the same time. Han looked between the two of them, knowing there was yet another thing he wasn't aware of.

"That's very astute, Grand Admiral," Luke replied, carefully choosing his words. "Yes, in view of recent events, perhaps I should see her straight away. Would you mind inviting her on board?"

* * *

"Pooja!"

"Leia!"

They rushed together, clasping arms and regarding each other before embracing. Closely acquainted from the old days serving in the Senate, for Leia it was a particularly precious moment knowing now who her friend was.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you again," Pooja said.

"You stole the words right out of my mouth," Leia replied with great feeling.

Pooja's face was creased with worry. "When I heard that Palpatine was holding you on the Death Star –"

"Let's not speak about that now, it all turned out ok." Almost all, Leia amended silently to herself. "It's been too long, Pooja."

"Nearly four years, I should say. And my, haven't you been busy?"

"Perhaps a little," Leia said with a wry smile. Even just days ago, she would never have imagined that they would be where they were now. She and Luke had much to discuss with Pooja but they couldn't talk here.

She glanced at the attendants waiting patiently behind Pooja and then across at the pilots emerging from a second shuttle, a gleaming silver ship with beautifully sleek lines.

"Two ships?" Leia asked.

Pooja gestured the silver ship proudly. "This is a gift from Queen Kylantha and the people of Naboo to his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Skywalker." She stopped, then a giggle escaped from between her fingers covering her lips. "That's the first time I've ever been happy to say 'Emperor'!"

Leia couldn't help but share her smile.

Pooja recomposed herself and continued with some earnestness, "The Naboo Royal Starship is usually reserved solely for use by the Naboo sovereign but we would be honoured to gift it to his Majesty. This particular ship had been used by Aunt Padmé, and although it had been decommissioned after she stepped down as Queen, after her death it was restored to perfect working order at the Royal dockyards. Such a connection to Amidala – you understand it holds special significance in the hearts of the Nabooian people. We could never repay Emperor Skywalker for saving Naboo but we _can_ say something of our immeasurable gratitude. I know it's likely to be a while before he'll be able to spare the time for an official ceremony so I wanted to take this opportunity to present it _un_officially in the meantime. We hope that he might be happy to accept it."

Moved to tears, Leia regarded the beautiful ship in a new light.

"You have no idea..." Swallowing hard, she clasped Pooja's hand again. "I'll take you to Luke. We have something rather important to tell you."

* * *

"Citizens of the galaxy."

The whole world narrowed down to one perfectly innocent-looking black object. Topped with a chunky disc-shaped section about the size of a human fist, with a thinner and longer cylinder hanging down from it, the live holorecorder floated several metres in front of the wide conference table and broadcast the fourth message to have wholly commandeered the attention of the entire galaxy in as many standard days.

"I am Luke Skywalker. As your new Emperor, I address you at this pivotal moment in our history."

By the blinking stars, but didn't that feel pretentious. Luke was having to speak through one of his most familiar Jedi calming exercises just to be able to say it with a straight face. Honestly, how had Leia convinced him to say that?

Civil war, was the answer. There was the potential for many more years of suffering and countless more deaths at stake here, which was why Luke was going along with this madness. Which was precisely what this was. Sheer madness.

Yet it somehow perfectly reflected the upheaval that had surged through the galaxy in the past few days since the death of Palpatine and the liberation of Naboo.

The greater proportion of the Imperial Navy was under Piett's thumb and had abided by his orders to maintain the ceasefire. In some it was due to little more than from having sworn allegiance to Lord Vader and by extension to his will, but in others it was reinforced by a certain willingness to try for peace, an open-mindedness born in view of the Rebels' humanity in aiding the mass evacuation of Imperials from the Death Star.

But as Leia and Mothma had predicted, the Imperial Ruling Council had not sat still at Vader's choice of successor. Even with several leading figures having accompanied Palpatine to Naboo and perished aboard the Death Star, there remained a substantial number of Imperial Advisors who had been vociferous in their opposition to a Jedi taking the Galactic Throne. Officially leading the denunciation was Sate Pestage who, as the Grand Vizier, had been left in charge on Imperial Center in Palpatine's absence, but there was no question in the leading political minds on both sides as to who was really in charge.

Ars Dangor, effectively wielding both Sate Pestage and Ysanne Isard from the shadows, had rallied considerable opposition amongst governors, officers and senior staff who had once been powerful figures with the weight of Palpatine's authority behind them. He drew on his considerable influence to persuade, demand, coerce or entice those in positions of authority or influence to support the Imperial Ruling Council, who themselves were united as never before while Palpatine had encouraged suspicion and rivalry to keep personal ambitions in check.

The very public manifestation of Dangor's opposition had taken the form of Pestage waxing lyrical on the IHV about the inevitable breakdown in order and security should a bloodthirsty terrorist Jedi succeed the august Emperor Palpatine, stirring fear of chaos and anarchy.

However, it was for good reason that Mothma and Leia held successive records of the youngest senators ever to serve. Quiet whispers had begun seemingly nowhere and everywhere, spreading like wildfire through the galaxy and counteracting Pestage's words of poison, through industrial quarters and rural backwaters, the affluent heights and the murky underworld of miles-high cities alike.

Revelations of Palpatine's atrocities, his role behind the Clone Wars and false accusations of the Jedi Order, accompanied by murmurings of liberation. The appellation, in reverent tones that had not been heard in over two decades, of _The Jedi_.

And nowhere had this quiet word been so prevalent than on Imperial Center, or Coruscant as many seemed eager to call it again. As Luke had stepped onto the lush carpet of one of the spacious external docking bays of the Imperial Palace, accompanied by Mothma, Leia, Han, Chewie, Piett, Chiraneau and three officers from Death Squadron and guarded by several units of the 501st Legion, they had been greeted by the astonishing sight of the surrounding walkways, verandas and building tops packed full of people vying for a view. Not calling out for their blood as would have been the case only several days ago, but cheering.

Through their strengthening connection in the Force, Luke had asked of Leia, '_Why do I get the feeling that you had something to do with this?_'

'_We gave an extra nudge, that's all,_' she had replied. '_Palpatine and Father's two broadcasts pretty much did the job for us_.'

'_An "extra nudge"?_'

'_Ever heard of our sleeper agents?_'

Luke had been aware of the Alliance's growing network of sleeper agents and High Command's recent schemes to fracture the Empire from within, but he had no idea of how extensive this network had been or how close they had been to deploying that strategy.

And now as he gave his first-ever public address, it was to all these people that he spoke – to the countless numbers who blindly placed their hopes in him, not only humans but of all species, to his friends, to the survivors still standing with him, and to the brave departed.

Empowered by the Force, his body relaxed and his mind fixed on the task at hand, he locked his eyes on the floating holorecorder.

"In this galaxy we are blessed with a wealth of different people and species, with their individual cultures and distinctions and strengths. And all of us, spread far and wide, are united in purpose:

"The basic, and equal, rights of all individuals, regardless of species, gender, class or creed.

"Respect for individuality, and tolerance of differing thoughts.

"Regulation of executive powers to prevent abuse of authority.

"And a society in which its citizens have a voice."

From the journalists in the adjoining chamber, questions and expressions of shock instantly greeted this audacious proclamation that perfectly contradicted Palpatine's enforced ideals. The prestige of receiving invitations to this inaugural speech from the new Emperor were momentarily forgotten. Pressing forwards with their hovering media cams towards the transparent wall separating them, they demanded clarification and confirmation that 'his Majesty' was indeed saying what it sounded like he was saying.

The three Advisors from Palpatine's Ruling Council in attendance struggled to contain their outrage before the holorecorder. Beyond Piett and Leia to Luke's left, Dangor, ghost-like in his habitual dark robe and head covering, managed to contain any obvious outward expression of his fury save for the scorching glint in his manic eyes. Beyond Mothma to Luke's right, Pestage, opulently attired in his outfit rather resembling an exotic prancing bird in Han's opinion, was just as lurid in his spluttering outrage. And beside Pestage, Isard turned a rather brilliant shade that clashed with the symbolic crimson that she had decked herself in to match the uniform of what had formerly been the Imperial Royal Guard. Han wondered at the further symbolism that the Royal Guard had been disbanded by the 501st.

The Advisors had been none too pleased at the summons from 'Emperor Skywalker' to attend him within a section of the Imperial Palace that he had secured for himself. They had been further enraged when they had been out-manoeuvred by the unannounced arrival of the journalists to sit alongside him as though in support of this outrageous speech, and moreover to be delegated to the seats furthest from him, blatantly scattered on the fringes for the whole galaxy to see.

And now this. The rebel Emperor had cited the same basic principles of democracy revered by the Old Republic, the very same principles which the venerable Emperor Palpatine had, in his infinite wisdom, eliminated.

Luke allowed the uproar for several seconds before he held up a hand. Unexpectedly, there was instant silence. He was unaware of the spell he wove, his connection to the Force creating an aura of steadfast assurance that held all others in thrall, even though they could neither consciously sense it nor explain it.

He spoke without pause, allowing no disruptions.

"Citizens of the galaxy, my pledge to you this day is made in all sincerity. Throughout my life, I dedicate myself to your service, and I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.

"In this spirit, I shall speak the truth. There can be no dark secrets hanging over us as we establish this new age and it is for this reason alone that I now reveal something so personal. I am not here to claim right or wrong; I simply tell you how matters stand. You are free to believe, or not, as you wish.

"My father was a Jedi Knight. He fought in the Clone Wars, believing, as many did, that the Separatists were attempting to destabilise the Republic and that the key to regaining peace lay in ending the Separatist threat. It was against this backdrop of war and death, that my father learned of his wife's pregnancy. What began as the happiest day of his life ended as the beginning of the end."

Luke borrowed the words Obi-Wan had once spoken to him. "The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things, it binds the galaxy together. That night, and many times afterwards, the Force showed my father a vision of my mother dying in childbirth. He had seen visions in the past that had foretold death as they came to pass, and so he believed these also to be true. He sought high and low for a way to prevent her death.

"The one who offered an answer was the Sith Master Palpatine, who at the time was concealing his true nature, as he orchestrated the Clone Wars, leading the Separatists in secret against the very Republic of which he was the Supreme Chancellor. Palpatine promised my father the power to save my mother and, haunted by the visions, my father believed him.

"There is a Dark Side to the Force. The Dark Side devours any hint of humanity until all that remains is evil. If a Jedi falls to the Dark Side, it is the death of him. He desires only power. He triumphs in killing those who he used to hold most dear, revel in unspeakable acts of savagery. He is no longer the same person, in mind or spirit, and no amount of reason or plea or persuasion can bring him back. That was the power that Palpatine gave my father, the power of the Sith.

"My father died in the pursuit of what he believed to be the only way to save my mother, and became a different being entirely. My father, Anakin Skywalker, died, and in his place was born Darth Vader."

Luke remained stoical against the shocked outcries from the journalists. Amidst the commotion, they could clearly hear "Vader's son!" repeated more frequently than Luke would have liked. He had prepared himself for this and it was understandable, what with Vader being much more prominent in their minds than a Jedi Knight of a distant past, but he still couldn't help the sting of regret.

Pestage and Isaard were frozen, their faces ashen. Dangor merely frowned.

It had been one of the conclusions of a lengthy and shocking discussion with Alliance High Command, with Piett also in attendance, that Luke would make this disclosure. There were too many people hunting relentlessly for the reason why Vader had remarkably named a Jedi as his heir, and the risk of it coming out in the future was all too real. The damage that such a revelation could cause after they had rebuilt the galaxy was all too severe, so instead of sowing seeds of blackmail, Luke took the proactive approach in making the admission himself at the start when there was still little to lose. For Luke and Leia, there was also the added desire to explain the tragic events in a manner of their choosing, to mark the distinction between Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader.

One shrill voice rose above the din of the journalists.

"Who was your mother?"

The air became thick with expectation.

"Who she was is not relevant here, and for the protection of her family, I respectfully request your forbearance in maintaining her anonymity."

There was a smattering of protest, although not all voiced their demand out loud. Back in their respective media station research departments, however, there ignited a flurry of activity in an attempt to discover the identity of the wife of Anakin Skywalker. The wife of _Darth Vader_.

There was still one more point to make. Ignoring it all, Luke caught Leia's eyes.

_Let's do this_, she thought in her mind, knowing her brother would hear. _I'm right here beside you, Luke, whatever happens_.

Firmly keeping himself anchored in the Force and maintaining his composure, he continued, "However, I can disclose that my mother gave birth not to one child, but to two. I have a twin."

The journalists and Imperial Advisors froze with bated breath.

"As the offspring of Anakin Skywalker, we would have been a threat to the newly formed Empire. None but two Jedi and a Senator knew the truth of our births. To protect us both, as well as the galaxy should we have been turned into agents of evil, my twin and I were raised separately and in secret, hidden from the Empire, from Palpatine and Vader. I was taken in by distant relatives in the Outer Rim Territories. My twin sister was adopted by the Senator and his wife – the late Prince Bail Organa and Queen Breha Organa. You all know my sister as Princess Leia Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan."

The journalists appeared to have run out of steam. After so many shocking revelations, they now merely turned in silent astonishment to the Princess sitting calmly beside the Jedi.

Although aware that this was by far a most unusual way to address the galaxy, Luke had sworn to speak the truth. And speak the truth he did, for the story did not end with Darth Vader but with Anakin Skywalker. To Luke and Leia, it made all the difference.

"For twenty-two years, Vader believed that the child of his former self had died with his wife." – Luke could practically see the researchers updating their search parameters for his mother's identity with this piece of information – "It was only when he heard of my name, the rebel pilot who had destroyed the First Death Star at Yavin, that he learned that I lived. He searched for me, and during that search he learned of his second child.

"But he was not alone in realising that the children of Anakin Skywalker still lived. Palpatine also learned this, and sought to bring us under his control. That was to be the start of Vader's redemption. It had been in desperation to save my mother that Anakin Skywalker had been lost to the Dark Side, and it was in his determination to defend his children from Palpatine that Vader freed himself of the grip of the Dark Side. By the time of the recent peace negotiations at Theed, Darth Vader had been redeemed as Anakin Skywalker. The only proof I can give you of this is in his efforts, through his continued masquerade as Darth Vader to utilise his position in the Imperial Forces, to aid the Alliance in freeing the galaxy from Palpatine.

"You all bore witness as Palpatine threatened to destroy his own homeplanet of Naboo with the Second Death Star. He had discovered my father's treachery, that Darth Vader was no more, and sought to coerce either myself or my sister to serve as our father's replacement.

"You all bore witness of the holorecording as I met with Palpatine, while the brave men and women of the Imperial Forces and the Alliance fought side by side to save Naboo. Details of the battle will be released through official channels in due course, so for now, all I will say of it is this."

And here Luke was forced to pause, to swallow past the lump in his throat that refused to be swallowed down.

"Anakin Skywalker gave his life to save us all."


	23. Embers of darkness

**A/N:** My dear reviewers, you're the best! Thank you for all your comments, I always love reading your thoughts and suggestions. Some of you are quite good at guessing what I've planned... ;-P

I'm on a roll, here's the penultimate chunk! I couldn't resist leaving you with a bit of a cliffhanger one last time before the end – but I'm doing my darndest to post the last chapter within a week so don't be too mad. :) And spot the words from canon, tee hee...

**Disclaimer: **SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 23. Embers of darkness**

Wedge couldn't recall his walk back to his quarters. As soon as the door slid shut on the cramped seven by five foot of privacy, his legs gave out and he sank onto his bunk.

Something might have been said about interim governing bodies and reforms and a galactic alliance, but Wedge had heard little beyond Luke's words on Princess Leia, Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader.

Leia being his sister wasn't so hard to take. Sure, the odds of a kid from an Outer Rim moisture farm being related to an Alderaanian Princess was incredible, but knowing them both, it seemed perfectly obvious.

But their father!

Luke had been adamant that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were different people, with the Force and the Dark Side and all that, but Wedge didn't know about the Force. He knew Luke and Leia, and he knew of the feared and hated Darth Vader. Hell, everyone knew of that masked terror. How could his friends be that monster's children?

Bespin! That must have been when Luke had learned of it. As much as Luke had tried to convince everyone that he had recovered from the duel, Wedge had always known that something had irrevocably changed. Something fundamental, something that could never be undone. Wedge knew how Luke used to feel about Vader, but then after discovering that the terrifying Dark Lord was his father and losing his hand in the same encounter, it was anybody's guess.

He had no idea when the Princess had learned of it. She hadn't always known, he was sure of it. There was that whole debacle with the First Death Star after all, and the Princess hated Vader. _Despised_ him. Wedge had thought his own family dynamics was messed up; he couldn't hold a candle to these two.

All this time, they had been Vader's children. It was especially shocking regarding Luke. They had flown together to hell and back, formed a close bond from shadowing and relying on each other and saving each other like it was second nature.

But biting hard on those thoughts came precisely that same realisation. This was Luke, the very same who trusted and relied on him in turn, his leader and friend. How much courage had it taken to bear that knowledge and still keep fighting, alongside the friends and allies, the only family he knew of, who might turn on him if they discovered the truth? Not to mention the guts needed to spill all to the entire galaxy... What kind of a person could do that?

Suddenly Wedge gave a short laugh. That was exactly what made Luke, Luke. Flying against the odds if it was the right thing to do, whatever it took.

The Princess was no different. Twins indeed.

In the end, it wasn't so hard to taken in. And for Wedge, it was a defining moment to realise that nothing had really changed.

Thinking for a moment, he sent a quick message to his remarkable friend before heading out of his quarters to look for the other starfighter pilots. Whoever spoke against either of them would have to answer to him.

* * *

_Jedi don't get drunk? Ha! I've got another bottle of Whyren's Reserve stashed away, come find me when you want to be drunk under the table. Clear skies, boss. WA_

A relieved smile tugged at Luke's mouth. Good old Wedge, telling him that everything was good between them. It was welcome reassurance, especially at that moment, and he took a moment to return a short message.

_You're on. But you shouldn't be so eager to lose again. Really, Jedi _don't _get drunk. Clear skies, Wedge. LS_

"An unofficial post-coronation assembly," Mothma had explained. "Don't worry, it'll be _informal_."

Luke didn't believe she knew the meaning of the word. Awash in a sea of luxurious robes and glittering jewels and all the extravagance that was habitual in the Imperial Palace, Luke couldn't see much difference from the lavish inauguration ceremony he had earlier suffered through.

Current and former government officials, functionaries, administrators and senior staff, former Senators, powerhouses of affluent and influential corporations and banks and guilds, the aristocracy of numerous worlds, and high-ranking officers of the Imperial Forces and various security branches milled around the cavernous Hall, already numbering several hundred and increasing steadily as more elite heavyweights arrived at the galactic capital at this supposedly 'informal' gathering to greet the new Emperor.

Never had Luke felt so out of his depth. The language of politics was a complete enigma to him, a stream of familiar words with entirely unfamiliar nuances that were subtle and complex and more far-reaching than he could immediately grasp. He could sense the verbal battles being waged around him, but unlike combat with lightsabers and blasters, he was an amateur when it came to analysing all the possible illusions concealed within the seemingly civil words as well as in what was left unsaid, and to consider his own reply to frame the exact implications and insinuations he wanted to deliver but no more and no less, all in the space of a breath to maintain a natural stream of conversation.

As one important dignitary after another breached the natural space that seemed to have cleared around his tight-knit group, all approaching in some unspoken order he couldn't understand and introduced to him by a smartly dressed aide whose exact function he couldn't name, Luke simply tasked himself with not offending anybody and restricted himself to bog standard greetings. He relied on his more experienced allies for the intricate handling of probing queries and entreaties, observing keenly while Mothma and Leia traversed fluently through this ensnaring miasma, his bright eyes the only betrayal of how impressed he was at their aptitude in this intangible war.

It was intense and exhausting in an entirely different way to his usual practice drills, and after two hours he was beginning to glaze over from the overload of new people and information. Perhaps sensing this, Mothma had signalled the Announcement Aide – as Luke had dubbed him – and visitations had been suspended while he grabbed some much needed refreshments.

"Explain to me again why the galaxy's bigwigs are hanging out in a corridor?" Han muttered from behind as Luke sent his message to Wedge and tucked away his handheld datamemo comm.

From his position on a raised step behind them, Han kept a sharp eye over the sea of milling people. Two companies with close to three hundred clone stormtroopers already dotted every nook and cranny of the Hall, giving the place a somewhat snowy appearance, and several further reserve companies were on standby. But even with their genetically programmed loyalty to Luke by virtue of his holding the title of Emperor, Han still wouldn't trust them with a single nut bolt from his _Falcon_.

"It's called the Grand Reception Hall, Han," Luke reminded quietly out of the corner of his mouth, attempting to curb a smile.

"It's a _corridor_," Han said flatly. "Freakishly huge, I'll admit, but it's still a blasted corridor."

Freakishly huge might have even been an understatement. If the towering columns spanning its length as far as the eye could see were removed, the cavernous hall with the multiple mezzanine balconies overlooking the ground level might have housed a small Star Destroyer.

"It's symbolic," Leia added from beside them. "This was the main artery of Palpatine's reign, the hub where everything else that wasn't Palpatine happened."

"Yeah, yeah, and now Luke's taking over, I get that. But it's still a damned corridor. Couldn't we have at least made it less... _creepy_?" Han shivered as he cast his eyes along the cut-glass windows, tinted blood red and looming tall between the carved sable stone walls.

"The ch'hala plants did add something to the decor but we had to remove them unfortunately."

"They were _spying_ on us, sweetheart. There's nothing more creepy than spying plants. And don't even get me started on the security nightmare with all the ways in and out of this place."

"Between General Madine and General Rex, they've got things well covered."

"You know there's no _covering _this place, kid. I mean, look at all those levels and doors and turbolifts and alcoves and side chambers. And that's just what we can see. Who knows how many hidden passages are buried around this mausoleum?"

"Our engineers and architects have been over every inch of this sector, Han."

"And you think that means they've found every possible entry point?"

Luke pointedly didn't reply.

"Exactly," Han huffed. "These weren't their stomping grounds; we need people with inside knowledge – but then that becomes a whole other can of space worms. Spying, double-crossing us, misinformation, spying again –"

"These people would have met here anyway, Han," Leia interrupted what could have been a rather long list, "and we needed to be here. We've done what we can. Besides, you're here, Luke's here, and Chewie's here."

"Yeah. What could _possibly_ go wrong?" Han asked dryly, touched by her vote of confidence but not placated as he resumed his close scrutiny of the galaxy's elites dithering around them.

Luke likewise returned to his previous scanning of the Hall. Lacking the years of political experience that Leia and Mothma had, he instead relied on the Force to decipher the complex web of alliances and areas of friction. For the majority of people, the main objective appeared to be to keep their options open, greeting both his party and Dangor's group holding court some distance down the generous space. Regardless of the official line spouting unity and cooperation, all were aware of the division between them. Nobody wanted to be left in the dust and they vied for position in the new government, whatever form it would eventually take.

He noted the few whose support was genuine and decisive, but unfortunately there was plenty of enmity concealed behind false smiles and empty flattery. Amongst those who had gained the most under Palpatine, there was much ill feeling at the fact that former rebels now led the Empire. Despite his best efforts not to actively read anyone's minds, raucous thoughts flew at him of their own accord.

'_He's just a boy!_'

'_Darth Vader's son!_'

'_Are they really Vader's children?_'

'_Can he strangle people like Vader used to?_'

'_Organa and Mothma are obviously doing all the work, what a leech._'

'_Anakin Skywalker's son!_'

'_I wonder if he can read minds like Vader could? He looks harmless. What is a Jedi anyway? Did he really do anything in that battle over Naboo? ... Oh... Oh no, is he reading my mind now? ... Hello? Uh, your majesty, if you're reading my mind, I most humbly apologise... Oh, hell. This is not good. Not . Good. Oh, I feel ill..._'

Lips twitching, Luke barely managed to contain his amusement as a portly man dashed away through the crowd, a frantic aide chasing after the flapping trails of his lush fur cape.

"I concur," Leia was saying when he returned his attention to the gathering around him. "That Viceroy is another to watch, I recall he had close ties to Pestage before the Senate was disbanded."

"Generally, however, it is all rather _pleasant_."

Luke wondered at Mothma's emphasis on the last word.

"As we suspected," Leia agreed. "But it's still early days. The _far-flung_ Senators are still returning and increasing by the minute."

Luke took that to mean the former Senators who had been further removed from Palpatine, and not just in terms of physical distance. The two women seemed to be taking a poll of sorts, one that he had been tracking in the Force, which indicated that genuinely supportive allies were increasing and the balance was shifting away from Dangor. He met the hawkish glare from across the Hall.

"Roll up, roll up, this is the _I-hate-Luke-Skywalker_ Fan Club," Han sing-songed quietly in his ear.

Even Han wasn't blind to the Imperial Advisors' blatant refusal to greet him during this assembly.

"You're supposed to be watching them, not watching me watching them," Luke murmured back in amusement.

"Yeah, well," Han drawled, "most of the action's around the food and Chewie's got that well covered."

Luke glanced across at the Wookiee a few feet away, practically drooling as he hungrily eyed the long tables as a steady stream of dignitaries passed by. They were piled high with a mouth-watering array of delicacies from across the galaxy.

The Force heaved, and his reply was forgotten.

Luke and his friends had their own comlink earpieces in case of emergencies, and Luke's sharp focus swept the Hall as he used the Force to activate it.

"General Madine, General Rex. Be alert."

"Yes, sir," came their instant replies in his ear to his softly spoken command.

His friends nearby continued as though they had not heard him, betraying no sign of anything out of the ordinary in order to avoid causing unnecessary panic. Still conversing quietly, they discreetly scoped out the Hall. Han activated his own earpiece.

"Your Majesty," the Announcement Aide said as he approached with a bow. "The President of the Galactic Bank and his senior associates wish to extend their greetings, may I be permitted to introduce them?"

"They may be received first when we resume," Mothma delayed smoothly.

The Aide retreated with another bow.

The Force jittered, becoming increasingly agitated.

"Sir, we have encountered two assault teams in ground-level foyers," Rex reported in Luke's ear from his command position overseeing the numerous passage ways approaching the Hall. "They're dressed as Palpatine's Royal Guard."

"You sure?" Han wanted to verify, tapping his ear to speak. "We had them comfortably putting their feet up in the Palace detention blocks."

"From their uniform and assault formations, and what we have seen of their command signals, all indications so far point to the Royal Guard. I will inform you if there is any reason to suspect otherwise."

"Status, General?" Luke queried.

"Situation is under control, sir. The attackers will momentarily be contained, we have minimum casualties. Civilians have been safely redirected."

Inside the Hall, everything appeared as normal. The skirmish outside was too distant to be seen or heard here, and there was no disruption to the ebb and flow of people. The sonorous hum of conversation droned on amidst the soft tinkling of crystal glasses and deluxe tableware.

But the Force was urgent and clear in its warnings and Luke abandoned all concealment as he tapped his ear to instruct his other friends to link in.

"A large-scale attack within the Hall is imminent. Expect multiple assault teams at multiple entry points. General Madine, secure all levels. Activate shields and protect the dignitaries."

The Announcement Aide paled as he overheard the Emperor's crisp orders, but before he could even begin to phrase a question, mass troop movement flooding into the Hall sent the tension rocketing.

Chewie immediately gravitated towards his friends with his bowcaster ready in his giant paws. The platoon assigned to protect Luke immediately formed a defensive circle around his group, conspicuous in the distinctive blue-on-white armour of the 501st. For such a critical responsibility as the Emperor's personal protection, the usual Lieutenant who commanded the thirty-six man detail had been superseded by Major Bow who had been loyal to Vader to the letter. Bow hefted a heavy blaster rifle with ease, his dual blaster pistols still holstered at his waist.

Elsewhere, the Hall was in lockdown as another company joined the two already in position, the vast majority being stormtroopers but with Alliance soldiers interspersed among them. They took up position in every doorway and between every column on every level, and heaved over the banquet tables to create large defensive areas below the overhanging mezzanines where they swiftly herded the dignitaries. Cries of alarm and protest at the rough handling were silenced with sharp orders without discussion. Portable shield generators were placed alongside the overturned tables and large shimmering blue domes sprang up and down the Hall, containing the hundreds of dignitaries in dozens of groups. It was a testament to the sheer size of the place that the Hall still felt rather spacious despite the occupants now numbering well in excess of a thousand.

Mothma, not being a soldier, quietly allowed herself to be directed into one of the shield domes, but Major Bow found himself stonewalled by the rest of her party, including the Emperor himself. As the watery shielding rippled downwards and closed on the last protective dome, Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie side-stepped the steering arms to stand alongside the troops taking up defensive formations.

"Sir," Major Bow insisted, "I must request that you retreat to safety behind the shields."

"We're of more help out here, Major," Luke reasoned. "We're no strangers to combat."

"But any attackers will in all probability be after _you_, your Majesty!"

"All the more reason to be out here, than behind the shields endangering the people sheltered with us."

Seeing that the new Emperor had no intention of relenting, the Major directed his platoon to settle in formation around them with the greatest reluctance to await the imminent attack.

The air was thick with indignation and not a bit of fear as the civilian VIPs nervously cast their eyes about, searching for the cause of all the fuss.

The three companies of stormtroopers maintained their positions, motionless but alert, primed to react at the first order or hint of trouble.

The dignitaries had no such discipline. Feet shuffled. Throats were cleared. Luxurious robes rustled.

... It was all rather anticlimactic. Nothing happened.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded a haughty voice from somewhere down the Hall.

"This is Rex. All stations secure, sir," came the report over the com in the commanders' ears.

"This is Madine. All stations secure."

The seconds ticked on, pregnant with expectation.

Some heavy sighs whispered as breaths unconsciously held were gradually released.

"Is this some elaborate hoax?" came the same voice again, dripping with derision.

"Huh, let's see you being so cocky on this side of the shields," Han grumbled under his breath.

"Perhaps a training exercise?" suggested another voice, either just naïve or suggesting a more diplomatic rationale.

A muted buzz gradually rose from the shielded clusters of people when they could no longer refrain from speculating about the security scare. Word gradually spread that it was the newly inaugurated Emperor Skywalker himself who had given the order for lockdown, but nobody could explain the cause with any certainty. Many were of the opinion that it was a false call. Even Major Bow flickered his gaze once or twice to the Jedi.

Luke ignored it all, tracking the tremors and flares in the Force as the warning bells only grew more insistent. Those who knew him best took their cue from him and remained alert, assured of his uncanny ability to sense an imminent threat even if the _how_ of it remained a mystery.

To them, it had only been a matter of time when the alarm was eventually sounded.

"Incoming!"

* * *

The cacophony of blaster fire was distinct and abrupt. Stormtroopers rushing to fend off the intruders tumbled with the assailants in a mishmash of crimson and white.

The commotion was replicated up and down the Hall as red-robed invaders sprang up out of nowhere and began emptying their arsenal on the shield domes. Initially only in a few isolated pockets along the Hall, in no time there were dozens of localised areas of fighting.

Bristling with heavy blaster rifles, force pikes and vibroswords, and complete with their distinctive red masks, the attackers cut a ferocious appearance draped in crimson.

Although far outnumbered by the stormtroopers, the Royal Guards had been Palpatine's elite fighting force – hand-picked, rigorously trained and brainwashed to fanatical loyalty. Banded into simple but effective triple-four formations, where each squad comprised three units which in turn consisted of four Guardsmen each, the three units alternated defence and attack like three planets rotating around each other, progressing towards the civilians or engaging the stormtroopers from wherever they materialised.

Which was seemingly everywhere. From behind a towering pillar, the underside of an overhanging mezzanine right above the domed shields, or out of the carved inky stonework, hidden passageways snapped open without warning. Twelve Guardsmen would slip out of the narrow opening and immediately drop into their three-by-four formation with well-slicked fluidity, after which the concealed doors would reseal themselves, leaving no noticeable sign of their having opened at all.

Worse was how the red robes also disappeared again. As soon as any of the three units in a squad was reduced to two or fewer Guards, the remaining squad would vanish, utilising the concealed entrances that only they seemed to have knowledge of or control over.

To add insult to injury, wherever they reappeared, they always numbered their full complement. They continued to pop up and slip away in different places, effectively teleporting and replenishing with reserves.

It made it impossible to estimate their numbers or formulate any effective strategic response.

Right beside Luke's group, another triple-four team rushed up from the floor and began firing on the neighbouring shielded dome. With nearby stormtroopers already engaged with other assault teams, the dome was sparsely defended and vulnerable.

"Major," Luke said immediately, indicating the situation beside them, "take your men, deal with them."

"Sir," Bow argued, "we can't leave y–"

He was interrupted by Luke unexpectedly stepping up to him, right into his personal space, Luke's nose barely a hand span away from his mask. A firm hand gripped the Major's shoulder.

"My friends and I can defend ourselves well enough. We will _not_ have a massacre here today, Major Bow. Defend the people. _That_ is our first priority."

For a moment the Major didn't breathe, didn't blink, didn't speak. How could he, when those blue eyes, previously so warm and kind, had turned as cool as winters on Hoth and as piercing as that lightsaber? When that voice, as hard and unyielding as durasteel, cut through the cacophony around them despite only being spoken quietly? When he suddenly had the inexplicable notion that he was facing a giant, a titan of incredible power coiled within a deceptively slight body? Physically, Bow was taller than Skywalker, but he experienced the strangest sensation of looking _up_ at the young man.

This was the real Jedi, the good-natured young man in possession of the same rare qualities usually only found in figures of legend, that singular combination of charisma and assurance and magnetic energy, but who felt no need to impress it upon others. Except in critical moments like these, when an order must be an order and they didn't have the luxury of time to be arguing.

_This_ was Vader's son.

Bow dipped his helmeted head. "Understood, sir. But allow me to remain with you with three men." Belatedly realising that he was making demands of the Emperor, he added, "With your permission, sir?"

Skywalker nodded once and stepped away, the spell was broken. Clearing his throat, the Major selected three men – his best – and sent the rest of the platoon to tackle the assailants nearby.

Barely had Luke satisfied himself that he had been heard loud and clear, than a spike of warning in the Force compelled him to shout, "Look out! Twelve o'clock!"

The Royal Guard was barely half way to the ground, dropping out of an access hatch that had gaped open overhead amidst the intricate carving in the pillar, his vibrosword already swinging at Chewie's neck, when he suddenly jerked backwards as though Luke's outstretched arm had actually punched him. The Guard slammed into the pillar at his back with a ringing _cra-ack, _the ebony stone fracturing under the impact. His limp body dropped heavily the rest of the way to the floor.

The others of the triple-four formation dropped down in quick succession right in their midst.

The prone Guard's force pike swung up off the ground of its own accord. It jabbed at a second Guard, wedging itself with unerring accuracy between the helmet and shoulder pauldron, zapping a pressure point. The Guard promptly fell flat on his masked face.

Chewie's roar preceded a metallic crunch as his bowcaster slammed into one assailant's armoured chest, before he swung his favourite weapon towards another who was aiming his blaster rifle at Han, and let fly. The Guard swivelled on the spot, the bolt skimming past his crimson helmet by a hairsbreadth, before cover fire from his compatriots drove the Wookiee around the pillar to avoid the rifle bolts. Chewie bellowed in frustration, but Han was already firing around him, arresting the assailants' offensive, and Chewie dove straight out again to swipe his meat cleaver of a paw at the head that he had missed a moment ago. The Guard spun, the motion this time uncontrolled and more resembling a spinning top revolving fast enough to rotate on end, until the momentum carried him crashing away across the floor in an awkward tumble of limbs and cape.

A new triple-four formation suddenly sprang out from behind the pillar, but Bow instantly signalled his small unit to batter them under heavy assault to keep them off Skywalker's back.

Accustomed to fighting together in such frantic, close-quarter battles, Luke and his friends made short work of the rest of the first squad.

"Cute, reeeaal cute!" Han grumbled at a Guard who had evaded his shots several times. Han dove to the floor at the return fire, but popped back up again in a matter of moments. He lined up his shot, waited for the Guard to lean out from behind the curve of a shield dome to take aim, then fired. "Gotchya!" He grinned. "Two! This is easy!"

"Three!" Leia counted as she caught her third Guard with her blaster. As with the first two Guards that she had dropped, she was led by a familiar sense of intuition that she now knew to be influenced by the Force. Seeing past the feint, she fired in the path the Guard was actually about to take.

_Three!_ rumbled Chewie as his bowcaster hit home on another.

"Three!" Luke announced, the blaster bolt from the rifle he had lifted from one of the dead Guards finding an impossible path between the combating bodies to slam into a surprised assailant's chest. The Force snapped Luke's attention to another blaster bolt heading directly for his head. His lightsaber sprung to life in his left hand and swung a tight arc, and with a hum and a zap another Guard fell from his own shot. "Four!"

"Damn it! Well... I just didn't want to show you all up, is all."

"Why, that's very thoughtful of you, Han," Leia teased.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just another part of my charming personality," Han grouched, but the glimmer in his eyes softened any real bite to his words. It was understood that the numbers didn't really mean anything; they all focused on covering each other's backs rather than stacking up the count. No one questioned anyone's ability to hold their own.

Having decimated the entire group of assailants before the Guards could pull off their disappearing act, Luke and his friends joined Major Bow in dealing with the second wave.

Everywhere Luke looked, the bright scarlet of the invading Royal Guards leapt out at him amidst the wash of stormtrooper white, and strobing across this entire backdrop was the lethal criss-cross of blaster bolts and swinging force pikes.

At Chewie's frantic roar, Luke returned his attention to his friends. Time slowed – Han was dodging fire from one Guard, two more lay prone at his feet, but a fourth was slicing across with a sizzling force pike, aiming to decapitate Han. The Wookiee was wrestling with two red robes himself and howling at the obstacles that prevented him from reaching his friend. Luke reached with the Force... but Leia was already there.

A rapid succession of blaster bolts forced the Guard to abort his attack at the scruffy head of hair and twist awkwardly aside. But the deadly laserfire followed him, and he couldn't evade Leia's precise shooting. The initial bout of shots had been designed to force him away from his intended target; the next found their mark dead centre and his last ever thought was the humiliation of being bested by a Princess.

"Behind you!" Han had turned after dealing with the Guard in front of him, just in time to see the one falling away behind, as well as another aiming for Leia's unprotected back.

Leia already had an inkling of the danger behind her, a prickling irritation in the back of her mind. She dropped to the floor and kicked out behind her, combining the moves fluidly to generate a solid sweep with her leg. Her smaller size and lower centre of gravity was the decided advantage here as the taller Guard found his legs knocked out from beneath him. As he flailed at the sudden loss of support beneath him, a solid kick connected with his chest. But even winded and smashed to the ground, instinct from thousands of hours of conditioning and training still had him instantly cutting at the woman's supporting leg with the force pike, only to find she was no longer there. Dodging nimbly, she took him out with a blaster bolt fired at point blank range.

The remainder of the diminished red-robed squad disappeared down an access hatch, leaving them with a brief lull in the fighting.

"Are you okay?" Leia ran her gaze over Han to assure herself that he was still in one piece.

Han in turn found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her as she neatly, expertly and decisively dispatched with the threat. The sight of her dressed as an Alderaanian Princess but battling with such fiery energy was just too captivating.

The words tumbled out of their own accord. "I love you," he said, shaking his head slightly, his face a picture of wonder.

It was like a light had suddenly shone on her face and he could have stared at her forever. She grinned, her rich brown eyes alight with mischief.

"I know."

* * *

"Status, General Rex?"

"We're holding ground, sir," the clone commander replied. "From what I hear from Madine, the situation inside and outside the Hall sounds similar. Same formations, same tactics."

"We need to map out their entrance points," Luke said as he tilted his head aside fractionally, just enough to evade a stray blaster bolt. He was armed with the 'borrowed' blaster; his lightsaber once again hanging from his belt. It was too dangerous to draw it with allies in such close proximity.

"Tech support is on it," Madine said, "but we still have no idea where or how they're controlling it."

"What's the estimate on numbers?"

"Several hundred Guards had been transferred off-system already, and Grand Admiral Piett has confirmed that they are still secure," Rex informed him, "but we can't reach the Palace detention blocks down below. All communications are down. Over three hundred were still here."

"All right," Luke said calmly, "we maintain current defensive lines for now."

"Yes sir," the two Generals acknowledged.

Keeping half an eye on the fighting around him, Luke reached out in the Force and touched the presence that had been doing her best to hide from his notice ever since he had stepped into the Hall hours earlier. He had respected her wishes and feigned ignorance until now, but stormtroopers were dropping all too fast and matters were coming to a head.

_We could really use your help. Will you come?_

He noted the momentary surprise on the other end of the mental link, which was rapidly followed by irritation and a teetering indecision.

_Please_, Luke pressed. _People are dying_.

He could have reminded her that she owed him for saving her life on Geonosis. He could have threatened or bribed. But he did none of these things, instead appealing with the honest truth of the pain he felt in watching the fighting around him.

A fact of which the other was well aware. Her demeanour softened, then relented. Decision made, her presence rapidly headed towards Luke's position.

It wasn't long before a lone figure dropped from the ceiling in front of their cover position and rolled to a crouch.

Plainly cloaked in grey, the newcomer distinctly stood out from both the lavishly dressed elites and uniformed troops. From their cover positions behind a pillar, Luke's companions trained their weapons on the new target, but trigger fingers paused at his upheld hand.

Boldly ignoring the pointing blasters, the newcomer reached up to slip back the deep hood, revealing bright emerald eyes and tumbling waves of flame red hair tied off to the side.

"You!" Han exclaimed.

"Thank you for coming, Mara," Luke said, surprising his friends.

"You arranged this?" Han demanded in disbelief.

Mara Jade dismissed the shocked glares, born of surprise and outrage and everything in between, and focused on the one friendly face in front of her.

"I can map the hidden passageways and override controls. Who do I speak to?"

* * *

To those who had frequented the Hall during Palaptine's reign, it was a startling development to witness the daunting but usually motionless Royal Guards now felling one stormtrooper after another. Only the new Emperor's close-knit group, as peculiar as it was with an Alderaanian princess and a Wookiee in their midst, noticeably surpassed the Guards in skill. But in a Hall teeming with over a thousand people, there were only a few who were close enough to observe their particular blend of serious engagement and camaraderie.

For the vast majority, their attention was drawn by the chilling crimson robes and helmets as the assailants continued their deadly and well-coordinated attack. And it soon became obvious just how well-coordinated.

It took barely moments for the entire Hall to notice when half of the shield domes spluttered and faded within seconds of each other.

All of a sudden, half of the dignitaries were left exposed before the invading Royal Guards. Hundreds of the very people key to the political, economic and social stability of numerous systems, now unprotected...

In the brief moment of horrified realisation, an amplified voice rang through the Hall.

"Hold your fire!"

Although it was not immediately clear who gave the order, the command was nevertheless obeyed – by one side since they were aware of the strategy, and by the other in view of the glaring peril about to befall them. The ensuing words, clearly delivered through a mask from its mechanical quality, reinforced the initial demand and removed any lingering doubt as to their affiliation.

"Traitors to the true Empire, hold your fire."

After the din of the fighting, the silence of the sudden stillness was heavy and deafening. Stormtroopers glanced at their commanders, commanders sought their generals. The generals in turn looked to their new Emperor.

Madine's voice over the com was quiet. Just one word, but enough to contain all of his uncertainty and fear. "Luke?"

Not 'sir', not 'Skywalker'. Just 'Luke'. An appeal, whether Madine realised it or not, as though asking for more than a confirmation of the demand, a plea for the answer to the impossible situation before them.

The Force gave Luke his strength, the ability to remain calm.

"Hold your fire," he confirmed.

"Jedi Skywalker, son of Vader, we wish to speak_._" The Guard's mocking taunt was blatant, even in the mechanical tone. "Step forth, if you are brave enough."

Leia's frantic eyes sought his. Luke only paused long enough to nod reassurance before gracefully rising to his feet and stepping out from behind the pillar.

A rush of motion flurried about him, but ceased just as abruptly at his sharply raised hand. "Hold positions," he quietly ordered the stormtroopers who had attempted to rally around him.

As he gave them a second to settle back, he reached out with the Force and sent out a silent query.

_I sincerely hope things are looking better there than they do here._

_Hang on_...

Whatever Mara was doing had her distracted.

Once Luke was certain of the stormtroopers' compliance, he took another step out into the open.

He cast his eyes over the sea of crimson and white and the rich tapestry of the galaxy's elites.

"And where might you be?" A perfectly neutral question, his voice gave nothing away other than calm composure. It perfectly matched his posture, standing there easily as though admiring the scenery, with the singular oddity of a blaster dangling deceptively loosely in one hand.

Movement on a second-level mezzanine slightly further down the Hall caught his eye. It was lined with red robes, and one figure identical to all the others stepped forward to the edge of the open balcony.

"Greetings, Master Jedi."

"Greetings," Luke replied.

Despite his tranquil demeanour, Luke's Forces senses were fully engaged. The Guard had basic mental shielding but it was no match against Luke's far superior affinity with the Force, and he detected the undercurrent of the other's emotions. Although attired in the same crimson robes as his brethren, there was something of this particular Guard that felt more dangerous. He was smarter, more cunning, more devious.

"We won't do anything as ineffectual as to ask you to hand over your lightsaber," the Guard intoned, "we're perfectly aware of how much damage you can do without it. But you can see the position you are in." A gloved hand waved before him, the motion encapsulating the dire situation down on the ground level of the Hall.

The conversational element from the Royal Guard was unexpected, but Luke was too busy considering how to word his reply to react to it. Having spent the past few hours attempting to navigate the murky waters of galactic politics, where every word concealed its own inflections and nuances and consequences, he couldn't help but wonder if agreeing to that statement might be taken as indication of their defeat, instead of simply that they were at an impasse.

_A-ha, got it! _Mara's sudden voice in Luke's head almost made him jump.

_Go on_, he replied, attempting to maintain concentration around him as well as listening to the voice in his head. Feigning distress bought him a few seconds.

_I've sliced into their controls. They don't know it yet but I can override all access to the passageways on your signal. I'm with Rex, the red zombies have hacked your com frequencies so best to give his orders through me. __Can't reach Madine though without them hearing you. But something's wrong..._  


Aloud, Luke elected for simply asking, "Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? Master Jedi, we demand your unconditional surrender."

How original. Luke could imagine Han rolling his eyes.

... _The passageways are built from countless small compartments, most are usually closed for containment, but __they're opening up several routes_... 

"And if I do?" Luke conjectured. "Will you release everyone unharmed and alive?"

_... Fastest tunnels leading out of the Palace, to the underground hovels of the City. It's a maze upon maze down there, we'll never find them again... _

"Half of the shields are down," the Guard pointed out, "and the rest will follow quickly should we continue with our attack. All here will die today, unless you surrender. The rest is hardly your concern, Master Jedi_. _"

_...They've got enough transport speeders to evacuate all the Royal Guards too, and on the double. They're up to something. _

"I am their Emperor now. Their fate _is_ my concern."

Deep-rooted anger and hatred flickered at Luke beneath basic but carefully constructed shields, and the Guard's veneer of false civility began to disappear. "There is only one true Emperor, and you are not he!"

Even with half his thoughts on Mara's warning, Luke had the presence of mind not to remind this volatile Guard that it was too late for Palpatine. "These people are crucial to the health and stability of the Empire. Without them, there will be chaos."

_But they've got us in a bind here, Mara, why would they evacuate? Any ideas? _

"Emperor Palpatine would rather see the Empire in ruins than to hand it to a _Jedi_. Their fate is up to you."

_Sorry, Luke_.

"What of those who were loyal to Palpatine? Lord Dangor is here, as are others of the Ruling Council."

"They will be honoured to make the sacrifice, to preserve the sanctity of Emperor Palpatine's vision. Now, surrender, or all here will die."

Luke sighed. "And again I ask, what if I do? Will you release them, unharmed and alive? Will you engage in dialogue with the leaders who follow me? The Empire does not belong to one man, it belongs to all. That includes you. And all should have a say in shaping the galaxy."

Luke wasn't a negotiator or diplomat and didn't know if he was pushing too far, but he had to at least attempt a peaceful resolution to this. He drew comfort from Leia's bright presence behind him, sensing her support of his efforts.

"That stinks of the Old Republic," hissed the Guard, the mechanical inflection carrying across the Hall. "And I tire of you wasting time. Kneel, Jedi, or there will be no Empire for you to rule!"

The Guard raised a crimson-gloved hand. It was evident, to the companies of stormtroopers and huddled mass of dignitaries alike, that this was the final warning the Guard was willing to give. The elites of the galaxy turned to the new Emperor, a discordant assortment of fearful demand and incensed denial.

They had never seen anyone so composed, so seemingly at ease, so unaffected, as the young Emperor humbled himself and lowered himself to his knees. Leaning and reaching out to place the blaster down away from him, he straightened again from the knees up and looked back up at the second-level mezzanine.

They had an unexpected measure of the man, the Jedi, who put all others before his own status or perceived importance, or – as keenly felt by many of those who bore witness to the scene – his own pride. Even amidst the traumatic ordeal in which they found themselves, they were struck to the core at his self-sacrifice and felt moved beyond any experience ever before encountered.

The Guard looked down at the kneeling Jedi. "Now, announce your surrender."

Luke remained silent.

"Now, Jedi!" the Guard urged.

Luke's head tilted as though in thought. "Your words and your thoughts contradict each other. I'm trying to work out why."

"What? What are you on about?"

"You demand my surrender, yet your thoughts urge me not to. Why do you not truly wish me to surrender?"

The Royal Guard's shocked silence was admission enough of his true intentions. The hundreds of pairs of apprehensive eyes swung to the crimson figure on the mezzanine.

The silence dragged on, each brittle second ticking into the next. They waited on tenterhooks for the tension to break, one way or another. The Royal Guards peppered throughout the Hall waited on their commander's signal; the stormtroopers likewise.

At length, the Guard sighed. His posture relaxed ever so slightly, shoulders easing down, and with it his raised hand gradually lowered. It wasn't the rapid signal to attack; the tension eased off in controlled increments, without triggering violent reactions.

"My master warned me of this ability of yours to read minds. Clearly, the measures I undertook to counter it were insufficient."

_Are you ready, Mara?_ Luke sent telepathically. _Whatever will happen, it'll be soon_.

_Ready on your signal, Luke_.

The Guard's icy voice gripped their hearts with frozen fingers, stole the breath from their lungs as though Darth Vader walked amongst them once more. "You're perfectly correct, Jedi. Even with you dead, you have already paved the way for traitors into the upper echelons of the Empire. The galaxy must be purged, the Empire must be built anew. The sanctity of our true master's vision will be preserved."

This Guard wasn't just dangerous, Luke realised. He was insane.

"Long live Emperor Palpatine!"

And with that bellow, in a matter of seconds all the Royal Guards in the Hall melted away down dark passageways and vanished from the Hall.

His senses on full alert, Luke rose to his feet.

* * *

_They're all in the passageways._

_I see that. _

_Can you contain them inside?_

_Inside?_

_Within the passageways. Override control, keep them contained?_

_Oh! Yes, with pleasure._

_Can you jam their transmissions?_

_The passageways are already secure, no transmissions in or out._

_Good. We'll bring them out and arrest them later._

_... Of course._

_Honestly. _

_Yes, yes. _

_Mara, we're not leaving them down there. _

_..._

_Mara?_

_... _

_Mara! _

_I'm only messing with you. Now, shoo. Go and figure out what the hell situation they've got you into up there before –_

* * *

The very air imploded. A vortex swallowed up all sound and feeling from the Hall, momentarily leaving nothing but a void, then blasted out in a deafening explosion that rippled along the windows on one side of the Hall. The red glass warped in their frames, bowing out like a rushing tidal wave, before fracturing into millions of glass shards and fragments that showered the entire Hall.

As quickly as it had come, the blast died down.

The ensuing silence was eerie and lasted all of several seconds. Gradually, with the tentative shift of disbelief, a quiet murmur began and grew, as all the people realised that they were still alive. Some bore cuts from the flying glass, but it was welcome relief in comparison to the utter destruction they had been expecting. Cries of profound relief rose up and down the Hall.

"That can't be it." Han frowned. "This isn't right."

Chewie rumbled unhappily in agreement.

Leia was peering at her brother. "Luke?"

"You hurt, kid?"

"No, no, I'm fine..." Luke trailed off as he stared at the windows, the edges of the tall window frames still clinging to the last of the broken red glass. And in the middle, they could see the faint shimmer of the energy shielding wrapped around the Palace exterior.

The Force was swirling with frenetic energy. "It's not over yet." The certainty in his voice brought a chill to those around him.

"Luke, what is it?" Leia pressed.

Luke's reply was prevented by a slow, lethargic clapping that resounded around them, interspersed with long seconds full of mockery and disrespect.

"All hail the Emperor," came a droll, cynical voice that rang across the Hall.

Luke turned to Dangor who was winding his way slowly towards him from amidst the cluster of dignitaries whose domed shielding had failed earlier. The people edged back, removing themselves from the line of fire, clearing a direct path like the parting of the sea.

"Bra-_vo_, your Majesty," Dangor drawled with dripping sarcasm. "I shudder to think of the danger we were in. How _for_tunate we were that you were here, to –" he gave a theatrically exaggerated gasp "– _save us all_."

Nobody missed the direct ridicule of Luke's words from the holobroadcast.

Luke's arm snapped out to the side, barring an enraged Han in his tracks. "Why, _you_ –!"

Roaring sublight engines drowned him out, rumbling underfoot and rattling the broken glass and dishes scattered across the floor. A thousand pairs of eyes turned to the vast windows and were met with the sight of a ship hovering barely a stone's throw outside. Curved wings reminiscent of a TIE fighter framed the rounded cockpit, but the extended arrow-shaped front nose most likely housing cargo or crew compartments made it a model that few had seen before.

"What freakish mutation is that?" Han exclaimed.

"The _Scimitar_," came Mara's grim voice over their comlinks. "A unique Sith Infiltrator that was never reproduced. Darth Maul used it. Palpatine had it modified with M-g-2 general-purpose warhead launchers and L-s9.3 laser cannons. It has enough arsenal to blow out the entire Palace."

"By the Sithing Hells..." Han muttered.

The slit of the cockpit's viewport flickered and its red tint receded, giving them a clear view of the pilot attired in the crimson red of the Royal Guards.

"Ah, hell, I thought we just got rid of you rats!"

Two more explosions were heard from elsewhere in the Palace, but for a moment nothing could be seen – then the shielding outside of the Hall windows flickered, and vanished. They had hit the shield generators.

Mechanical words, amplified from the ship, resounded through the now unprotected broken windows of the Hall.

"Traitors to the true Empire. For your treason, the ruins of the Imperial Palace will be your final resting place. There is no escape. Long live Emperor Palpatine!"

Multiple proton torpedoes burst forth from the ship, bright flares spelling their death and destruction.


	24. Rise of the Jedi

And they all died.

The End.

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**A/N: **If only! ;-)

Yeah, so was that the lamest cliffhanger in the history of all cliffhangers or what? Ah well, that's where the story led. Ch 21 could have served as an ending too, but this is the conclusion I'd imagined from the start. The chapter title says it all really. I'm also uploading a tiny epilogue at the same time.

If you see any details which vary from canon it's probably an oversight on my part. Wookieepedia is an absolute goldmine but there were still some details I couldn't find. But I'm going to claim it's deliberate as this is AU *ahem* :)

I initially began this story as a practise run before attempting a novel, and although it might be harder now having significantly less spare time, I hope that I still can one day. If/when I ever write a book, I'll let you know! Writing _For Family_ has been an amazing journey, and it's been all the richer for all you fantastic people who accompanied me. For all your messages and reviews and support, THANK YOU!

You all pretty much know what's going to happen next, but here we go anyway.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

See you next time, Nanuk888

**Disclaimer: **SW not mine.

* * *

**For family**

**Chapter 24. Rise of the Jedi**

_For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must _feel_ the Force around you. Between you, me. The tree, the rock. Everywhere. Yes! Even between the land and the ship. _

The Padawan who had wrestled in vain with the X-wing was no more. Through his brush with the Dark Side, confronting Palpatine, and battling side by side with his father, Luke had come to understand, to truly comprehend to the depths of his being, what Yoda had meant.

Trusting his friends to the safekeeping of his physical body, Luke plunged, faster and further than he had ever gone. Down to the underlying canvas of the Force where he commonly dwelled in his meditations, but delving further, understanding now that there was more, far more, and managing to break through. Abandoning all sense of self, he went unfathomably deeper into the Force, becoming nothing more than an entity of its creation, and deeper still –

Until the world transformed into glowing nebulae and strands and wisps of the Living Force, the very essence of life.

The Force was his ally, the foundation of his being. This time, he would not fail.

* * *

Arms flew up to shield their heads, a useless action born of primitive defensive instincts. They waited, cringing, and carried on waiting. But there was no sound, no pain, no explosions; none of what they expected. And still they waited.

Was this what it was to die? A seamless transition from life to death, with nothing seen or heard or felt?

The dignitaries slowly opened their eyes.

... And gawked at the remarkable image frozen before them.

Twenty proton torpedoes, bright flares of destruction suspended in mid-air, framed by jagged shards of crimson. And Skywalker, the solitary bulwark against their mass slaughter. He stood with his eyes closed, arm outstretched, fingers splayed as though he had reached for a ball that had frozen in place.

Having only begun to see him in a new light minutes earlier, they were now forced into an even steeper revaluation.

Gone was the unsure young man that they had watched being so obviously propped up by his more capable friends during the informal assembly. This was the Jedi with all concealment stripped away, a simple statement of his true self – serene yet steadfast, unassuming yet unassailable. Standing there, motionless except for the slight fluttering of his dark cloak, he all but glowed from his aura of quiet, indomitable power.

Stunned beyond coherent thought, dignitaries and stormtroopers alike could only gape in silence. As though they, too, had been woven into the magical spell and frozen alongside the torpedoes, a heartbeat stretched into eternity.

One beat became two. Then three.

With a slight flicker of Skywalker's hand the torpedoes abruptly zipped away, spreading out as they flew up and away from the Palace, clear between the criss-crossing lanes of traffic into the sky. The red-robed pilot flinched as his arms were yanked away from the controls. He struggled against the invisible grip but some power coupling pulled itself free and wrapped around his wrists, then around his whole body to secure him to the pilot's seat. The sinking _Scimitar_ ceased its downward motion and resumed its quiet hover.

Imperial patrol ships tore across in view of the shattered windows, breaking through the barricade of rogue TIE fighters piloted by Royal Guards. With the influx of TIE Defenders dispatched from orbiting Star Destroyers, the insurgents were quickly overcome in a rapid succession of exploding fireballs. Patrol ships towed the _Scimitar _away with tractor beams and reasserted their heavy presence over the Palace airspace.

Luke blinked slowly, acclimatising himself again to the rigidity of the physical world after such a complete displacement, to find himself the sole focus of the mute stare from the entire Hall. Somewhat embarrassed, he cleared his throat and grabbed his comlink.

"Piett, Death Squadron can stand down to amber alert," he reassured the Grand Admiral. "I do apologise but the fleet's shielding was the only way I could think of to safely dispense of the torpedoes at such short notice."

As Luke gave orders for coordinating cleanup with air support and ground troops, Han turned to Dangor.

Looking perfectly innocent, he deadpanned, "You were saying?"

* * *

"I'm glad you came."

Mara didn't turn from the large windows stretching from floor to ceiling, observing the curious sight of Imperial and Mon Calamari light cruisers patrolling in tandem over the grids of traffic flowing between the miles-high structures.

"I almost didn't."

"But you did." Luke leaned on the far side of the wide windows. "You saved many lives today, Mara."

She gave a disparaging huff. "Not as many as you."

"Who's counting?" A memory, a battlestation full of too many lives and a much bleaker world, floated into mind with a sharp pang of regret.

Nothing was said for a while, each lost in their dark thoughts in the silence of what had been Palpatine's private throne room in the tallest tower of the Palace. It still leached with the fear instilled by the former Sith Master in those he had seen fit to receive in this chamber. This was only Luke's second visit. The first time, during his initial inspection tour of the Imperial Palace, he had been assailed with visions of Vader on his knees or collapsed on the floor, exploding in darkness as he was tortured by Force lightning, and it had been enough to keep him away. Now, it was the only quiet corner in the Imperial Palace where he could speak with Mara and it was a conversation that the Force seemed to insist was important.

Before them, Imperial City was lit by the crystal clear light of early morning. It looked pure, refreshed, and the sight managed to perforate some of the malevolent energy seeped into the room.

"I never saw the City like this," Mara murmured at length. "I never saw it at all." A long pause, then a breath. "I only saw what he wanted me to see. I thought I was enough."

Her voice was barely there. Luke waited, infinitely patient as she gave breath to reflections that she hardly dared to acknowledge. He kept his eyes cast out across the City, knowing that his gaze would rob her of her courage to speak.

"He let me watch, you know. Secretly, as he manipulated people. It didn't matter who. Courtiers, ambassadors, those in trade and commerce, the military, even his advisors. Even Vader. I was supposed to be the one watching as he manipulated them." Her voice hardened. "But how many others did he allow to watch? How many times was _I_ the one being watched?"

Luke said nothing. She was after an outlet, not counsel. Heavy seconds passed and rolled into minutes. When she spoke again, her voice was sharp with bitterness.

"He'd made clones of me, but they weren't clones. He tampered with their genes, searching for a key to enable essence transfer imposed by a third person. Some clones were given a few years of life and then their consciousness imposed on new clones. A few survived for a while, but they were insane. They all died. All of them." Her green eyes narrowed, unseeing. "My parents too. He used them, for seven years, until they died. Until it was too awful for them to keep on living." She could barely speak past the jagged lump that welled in her throat. "I thought I was enough, but I never was. He was after the _ultimate_ servant."

Luke could feel her convoluted emotions – burning with hurt and rage over the betrayal of the master who had practically raised her, who had used and manipulated and exploited her. She was swamped by innumerable shades of guilt – at having allowed Palpatine to replace her parents in her life and heart, at her ignorance and inaction over their suffering, at the thought of _not having been enough_, then at allowing herself to be _hurt_ by that thought, and at the fact that the thought had even occurred at all. Her fury over her own blindness and naïvety eclipsed all.

But he saw something that she didn't.

"As much as he believed he had you totally under his control, you've managed something he never foresaw."

As if she'd forgotten that he was there, Mara's jaw tightened at his words and her walls came up. "Spare me, Luke. There's no silver lining here." She spun and began to walk away.

"He spoke to you when he died."

His words drew her up short.

"You heard him. What did he say, Mara?"

Green eyes turned to him, wide and slightly horrified.

"What did he order you to do?"

She was somehow aware that she hadn't wanted Luke to know how deeply she had been connected to Palpatine.

"Mara?"

"How...? How could you know that?"

Pain tightened Luke's voice. "I see that fight in my dreams, I see my father dying all over again. But in my dreams I hear a voice that I didn't actually hear, a voice I only hear through the Force."

This time it was Mara's turn to see something she had overlooked, something that should have been obvious. Luke had his own grief and pain, and yet here he stood, trying to help her. All the while, she had given no thought to his or anyone else's suffering.

"You already know," she muttered, ashamed at what the order had been.

"Tell me anyway." His expression remained encouraging.

She couldn't refuse. "He ordered me to kill you."

Unexpectedly, he smiled. "Exactly. He'd established a link directly to your mind and his order should have compelled you to try and kill me. But instead you severed his hold over you and helped me against the Royal Guards. You were right, Mara. You were never enough."

Confusion swept over her but his steady gaze gave her faith that he wasn't being unkind.

"Never _just enough_," Luke clarified. "You were _far more_."

Realising his meaning, she swallowed, fighting the hot prickling in her eyes and the tight feeling in her chest.

Of all the people in the galaxy, it was Luke, the Jedi she used to hate, who refused to bury her in the avalanche engulfing the dark remnants of Palpatine's rule, who continued to reach out to her, a patient hand guiding the way through. She couldn't understand it. Perhaps it was from being a Jedi. After all she had no idea what that meant anymore; all her previous beliefs about them were based on what Palpatine had told her and he was the last person she believed anymore.

Or perhaps it was just Luke.

"Why, Luke?"

It was a surprisingly beseeching question.

"Why what?"

"I've given you no reason to be kind to me. I abducted your sister and handed her to Palaptine! Why don't you hate me?"

Luke's gaze held hers. The grey cloak hid most of her, except for the wisp of red hair curling on her brow. He shifted his sight into the Force and saw her, _truly _saw her. Her current turmoil muted and blurred the edges of her life force, but deeper within he could feel her energy still as vibrant as the first day he'd laid eyes on her. It sang to him in a way he couldn't explain.

"I trust in the Force," he said by way of explanation. "You were misled by Palpatine, but that doesn't mean you should die with him. There's so much more to you, a great capacity for life."

She rolled her eyes but the faint smile on her lips robbed the gesture of any real scorn. "Yeah, you said that before."

Luke returned the smile. "Then it must be true."

"And it makes no more sense now than it did then," she protested, half in jest.

He became serious again. "You're not evil, Mara."

With a worried frown, she drew back to the window. His unswerving faith in her allowed her to be more open than she had with anyone in her whole life. "I don't know sometimes," she admitted. And so softly that he almost didn't hear her, she whispered, "He's still alive. In my head. He's still there."

Her fear and pain appealed to a closely guarded part of Luke. He considered her for a long moment before coming to a decision.

"He's still in my head as well," he admitted aloud for the first time.

Mara turned to him in surprise.

He hadn't even told Leia. He shared it now as he stared out at the same view that the Sith Master would have seen every day from his throne. "When I close my eyes, I see Palpatine looking back at me, those yellow glowing eyes." He breathed deeply, bracing himself against the image. "But I don't know if he ever realised that he himself was the greatest deterrent to the dark path. It would be so easy to slip, to be corrupted. Even now. _So much_ _power_..." His fingers floated through the air as if the Dark Side was within reach.

"You're afraid?" Mara asked, a strange hopefulness in her tone that she didn't hear. But he did.

"Not afraid, aware. Aware of how easy it would be to become just like him, _if I was afraid_." He smiled. "And so I don't need to fear."

Mara frowned. "You talk in riddles."

His gaze was warm. "It means that we'll never forget, which means that we'll always remember who we are. We are not him, Mara. We are not evil."

She could see his certainty in his own words and allowed herself, just for a moment, to share in it. But the moment passed and her old doubts resurfaced.

Luke saw the kindle of hope flare out, but to have felt it at all was enough. If she could believe it for a moment, she could believe it again.

"Thank you," he said. "I'm glad."

"About what?"

"That you'll keep on working with us."

She drew back. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Palpatine had a whole network of agents and spies, countless secrets buried in this place. We need to root them out."

"And you expect me to help you, just like that?" she demanded as though affronted. Her tone lacked any genuine outrage, however.

Having been manipulated by Palpatine for most of her life, he knew that her prickly attitude was only born of self preservation. The fact that she had come to their aid in the Hall earlier, the fact that she had waited here for him until he was able to excuse himself from the security clean up and dealing with the Royal Guards contained in the passageways, spoke to him as clear as day that she was taking a chance on trusting him. He understood what her actions were saying to him, even if her words were more guarded.

"It would mean a great deal to us all if you would help us." He added, "To me as well."

His soft entreaty slipped through her defences.

Her whole life, Palpatine had drilled into her of the untrustworthiness of the Jedi, how unnatural it was that they denied their true feelings and weakened themselves in the process, how their apparent compassion and eagerness to forgive were proof of their pitiful flaw.

But that wasn't how it looked to her now. Standing beside Luke, who offered her a chance at redemption instead of condemning her, who took the effort to search past the antagonistic mask she protected herself with to find someone worthy of being saved, she observed in him a different kind of strength that Palpatine had never had. A quiet, tenacious fortitude that needed no recognition and demanded no fanfares.

She felt herself begin to heal, just a little. He _had_ meant the words he had spoken to her on Geonosis, the words that she had secretly clutched onto like a lifeline since she had regained consciousness and Palpatine's order to kill Skywalker warred with her fractured heart. She had been so afraid to believe the Jedi, to allow herself to be so vulnerable as to rely on him, in case he took it all back and turned out not to be all the things that had once infuriated her.

She recognised something utterly remarkable in him as he continued to offer her such kindness despite her hostility and all that she had done, and grabbed her own courage with both hands.

She gave him a nod. It was a start.

* * *

Raxel Bren took great pride in his work. As Chief Concierge of the Imperial Apartment Complex, he catered to the wealthiest and most influential figures of the Empire. 500 Republica was the most exclusive address on Coruscant, a monstrous structure over a thousand stories high, and within it, the _crème de la crème_ was the Imperial Apartment Complex that capped one of its four linked towers.

After twenty-five years in the role and having been appointed from amongst the small army of staff required to ensure its smooth operation and maintenance, he was the best at what he did. He was intimately familiar with the comings and goings and routines and affairs of the residents, working tirelessly to accommodate the endless eccentricities of the rich and powerful and ensuring their discretion.

But amongst the varying, taxing, and oftentimes peculiar nature of his work, there was one element which was by far the most taxing and peculiar. It was a responsibility that had become a part of his remit quite out of the blue, soon after the birth of the Empire.

It had all begun when the Penthouse Suite had abruptly been purchased from the Embassy of Naboo by an anonymous individual – anonymous, since the name provided was clearly an alias. It did not match any records of any living soul with the necessary means of pulling off what this person did.

Bren had liked Senator Amidala, who, despite her celebrated and influential position, was always considerate to the Complex's management, and her death on the final day of the Clone Wars had come as a shocking blow. It was barely two weeks later when a trembling, ashen-faced senior senatorial aide from the Nabooian Embassy had arrived at Bren's office with the anonymous buyer's droid attorney in tow, the title deeds in order and all but requiring a signature representative of the Complex's administration as witness, and a hundred times the already exorbitant price of the apartment.

Bren's first attempt to remind them of purchasing procedures and waiting lists had merely resulted in the advocate droid flatly declaring them immaterial; his second insistence had resulted in the tower's extensive security measures being deactivated, shields and armaments and all, and the hair-raising sight of a Star Destroyer descending overhead all the way down to the upper reaches of the stratosphere and threatening to destroy the entirety of 500 Republica.

Needless to say, the sale had been hastily approved without another hint of protest.

The droid attorney had been adamant about his client's privacy. With the single exception of a cleaning droid, one provided by the client and not by the building's management, not a single being was to enter the Suite. _Ever_.

This one rule was nonnegotiable and absolute, as was proven in the early hours one night several months later. Bren had been alerted to a security breach, an intruder, in the Penthouse Suite and rushed up to the topmost floors with backup security. But even on location and just two turbolifts away, he arrived to find the owner's own crack team already there – a squad of twelve stormtrooper 'death commandos'. Bren had given them that name himself – at first glance they looked like any other stormtrooper in their white armour, but the silent, faultless coordination and speed with which they streamed in and secured the Suite had been spine-tingling.

As the intruder glanced back briefly at the pursuing stormtroopers before leaping into a waiting speeder and flying away, Bren had caught a glimpse of a familiar face – it was the head of Amidala's security, Captain Typho. The stormtroopers had signalled by comlink for air pursuit before withdrawing just as silently as they had come; their commander lingering only long enough to reactivate the empty Suite's enhanced security systems again before their departure.

That had been the one and only time that Bren had been able to glimpse into the Suite since he had dealt with a maintenance issue when Amidala had still resided there. The following day after that incident, security access to all turbolifts leading to the topmost floors had been restricted to all save for certain undisclosed individuals.

In all these years, the Star Destroyer threat and those death commandos had been enough for the Chief Concierge to protect this monopoly on the Penthouse Suite, despite never a soul stepping foot in it other than that incommunicable, basic cleaning droid. He stone-walled any public inquiries regarding the Suite's owner, and flatly refused any demands for the seemingly unoccupied, highly desirable apartment to be made available, no matter how much anyone bribed or threatened. For the Complex's administrative team, it was easiest to function as though the Suite simply did not exist.

It was no wonder, then, that he was mightily alarmed and equally curious when, twenty-two years later, his security log flashed with the warning that the external Penthouse turbolift had been activated.

Bren arrived at the turbolift minutes later, out of breath and his face flushed. His polished, refined appearance be damned, he ran. For twenty-two years he had dutifully protected the apartment for this unidentified personage, and he was dying to see who now accessed it so suddenly.

He rounded the corner and was brought to a hasty stop. There was a figure, concealed in a plain dark cloak, the deep hood casting his face in shadow. Bren had never seen the turbolift's access pad flash green since Amidala had been here, and he stared in dazed fascination as the stranger worked something into its programming. He was surrounded by stormtroopers, all possessing that same lethal fluidity of motion as those death commandos Bren had seen decades past, but with the marked difference of blue stripes on the white armour.

The cloaked figure turned towards him and waved a hand, the loose sleeve arcing across the air.

Bren blinked owlishly, finding himself walking along a raised archway leading to his office. He couldn't recall how he had come to be there or to what he business he had previously been attending; he simply knew that the Penthouse Suite was of no concern for the next hour. He studiously applied himself to the task of keeping himself busy and out of the way.

* * *

Luke followed the trail in the Force up the winding staircase and found himself on an open veranda. The rounded curves of the terrace were edged with plain white pillars, with white drapes fluttering down between them. Rounded sofas led to a fountain, water still bubbling gently at its core, and beyond it sparkled the glittering lights of Coruscant's night sky spreading as far as the eye could see. Majestic skyscrapers near and far reached into the cosmos, dwarfing the tight mesh of buildings filling the space in between, crisscrossed by multiple layers of traffic. The dark silhouettes dazzled with their stunning array of lights. Two beautiful female statues framed the breathtaking view; Luke was sure he had seen similar sculptures on Naboo.

There was a pervading sense of serenity here, its energy a soothing balm following the tumultuous events of recent days. Luke felt more complete simply by being here. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to absorb the sensation into a part of his heart that would forever be empty.

They waited, until they knew he was ready. Luke roused himself and opened his eyes.

Three shimmering Force ghosts stood before him, each in the simple robes of the Jedi.

"Obi-Wan," Luke greeted, the first he saw and recognised.

The second figure took Luke's breath away. How long he stood there, overcome by feelings too strong to handle, he didn't know.

"My son." Anakin's eyes were full of love and sadness. "I'm sorry to have caused you so much grief."

Still, Luke couldn't speak. He stared at his father, the face he'd only seen in the minutes before Anakin's death.

The ache in his chest was still too agonizing a burden to carry. His grief surged over him until he was almost angry. Closing his eyes, he saturated himself with the Force, taking time to calm his aggravated emotions.

When he eventually opened his eyes again the three were still waiting for him. He couldn't put voice to how much he had missed his father, how much he wished that his father hadn't been so heroic, how much he grieved for the family that they could have been and the future they could have had together.

But he didn't need to. Anakin could see it all through the Force.

"The robes suit you, father," was all that Luke could eventually say.

"A great improvement," Anakin agreed. "And much more appropriate. I'm learning to be a Jedi again, and more – in a rather unconventional sense."

"Master Qui-Gon always was unorthodox," Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Is that even possible?" His father was dead. How could he be training as though he was alive?

"Many things are possible in the Force, Luke," Obi-Wan explained without really explaining anything. He had always been that way; perhaps he picked up the trait from Yoda.

Anakin indicated the third man with them. "This is Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He was mentor to Obi-Wan when they saved me from slavery on Tatooine, and now my master."

Luke noted the kindly, wise eyes that reminded him of Obi-Wan, as well as the beard and long hair half tied back, the air of great presence about him. Luke bowed, a formal greeting to a man he didn't know and yet whom he already sensed was deserving of much respect. "Master Jinn."

"Master Skywalker," Qui-Gon greeted. "I have watched you develop in the Force. The galaxy is fortunate that you are here, young Master."

Luke didn't know what to do with such praise. He simply inclined his head, half in thanks and half in determination not to let them down. "Master Yoda? Is he... around, as well?" He didn't know what the correct term was for those returning as Force ghosts.

"He will be," Obi-Wan replied, "he is still exploring and learning the new ways as he merged with the Living Force."

Luke could well imagine the ancient Master's almost child-like fascination.

He turned to his father again, wanting so much to speak to him. But the words didn't come easily.

"We should give them a moment, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, looking between them.

"Wait!"

Luke looked immediately embarrassed at his outburst but Obi-Wan knew what was on his mind. "Calm yourself, Luke. We know there is much you wish to discuss. We will return, when the time comes."

The assurance was enough. Luke didn't need to question further about the cryptic remark.

"We will meet again, young Master Skywalker." Qui-Gon inclined his head at Luke in parting, and he and Obi-Wan faded and disappeared.

Identical pairs of blue eyes locked together over the heavy silence. There was still a shadow cast over Luke's features. His thoughts were convoluted, unclear.

"I couldn't risk you, Luke," Anakin explained, sensing the reason for his son's overcast feelings. "I couldn't risk Leia."

"We could have taken him together." Luke resisted the urge to shout but there was just as much weight and meaning behind his words, the crushing regret. "We were a team, father."

"Yes, we were, and we could have carried on fighting Sidious together. But for how long? The Death Star was about to explode, Master Yoda couldn't hold the reactor core forever."

"You knew about that?"

"Not the exact reason, at the time. I only had the greatest sense of urgency, that we were running out of time."

Luke sighed tiredly. His father was right, although his grief made it difficult for him to admit it.

A shimmering blue hand rested on his shoulder. "I could not have been more proud to fight by your side, my son."

Luke's troubled mind eased, the grief somewhat assuaged with the presence beside him.

"Luke," Anakin said hesitantly, "There's still a lot that I need to tell you, about my past, about your mother. Can I... May I return and visit, sometimes?"

"Of course! And as much as I'd like to hear more, I'd also like it if you came to visit _just because_." Luke smiled softly. "Whenever Master Jinn gives you time off your training."

"Are you talking to yourself again, kid?"

Luke turned to the staircase as the others arrived, also plain-clothed and incognito. Anakin had already encoded his son into the safe list, and Luke had arrived ahead to recalibrate the security systems to also admit Leia, Han and Chewie, as well as to indulge himself with a minute alone in this meaningful place.

Han followed up his comment with a low whistle as he took in the veranda and panoramic view. "Now, that's something."

Chewie's answering murmur was equally appreciative.

Sensing something but not sure what, Leia was more cautious as she cast her eyes about. "Luke, whose apartment is this?"

"It belongs to Aifu La'ok," Luke replied, watching her closely.

"I know, we checked the title deeds when you gave us the address, but who is that really?"

"Doesn't the name sound familiar?"

"It does, which is precisely the problem. Who –" She cut herself off when she saw Luke's expression, meaningful and etched in shadow. There was only one reason he would look like that, and as she thought of her father she also recalled –

"The donations!"

"Come again?" Han asked.

"Months ago, when father started making anonymous donations to the rebellion, it was one of the aliases he used. He lived here?" she asked Luke.

Her brother paused, glancing aside as though listening to somebody, before turning back to her. "He never set foot here as Vader, but he used to visit occasionally when he was still Anakin. This was our mother's apartment when she was on planet serving the Senate."

He worried for a moment that perhaps he should have broken the news to her more gently, but he should have known better. She dealt with the shock, absorbed it, and kept herself strong. Her eyes looking a little damp, she drank in the sight in a new light.

"Father bought it after her death," Luke continued when she turned a questioning eye at him, "and preserved it as it was when our mother lived here."

He knew how she was feeling; he felt the same way, almost as though they could feel their mother beside them.

"Thank you for bringing us here, Luke," Leia said softly.

After meeting Han's eyes – half to give him forewarning, half as reassurance – Luke approached Leia and took her hand.

"There's another reason why we're here, Leia. It's about father. Are you ready?"

The cautious look in his blue eyes made her nervous but she nodded, bracing herself. It must be important for Luke to have secretly sneaked them out of the Palace.

He sent his awareness into her and shifted her other sight, bringing her in line with the Force, before stepping away again.

Leia gasped as she stared directly at the translucent figure standing before the fountain. Her jaw slackened and her composure was entirely forgotten for the first time that Han had ever seen in the seasoned senator.

"Sweetheart? What is it?" Han asked, alarmed at her pale complexion.

"It's alright, Han," Luke murmured. "She's just seeing through the Force."

"Leia?" Han pressed.

A whisper escaped her lips, sending a chill right down Han's spine. "Father..."

"_What_?"

There was an uncertain rumble from Chewie.

Tears glistened in her eyes at the intense tidal wave of emotions overwhelming her, chocking her up and burning behind her eyes. Not least were the guilt and remorse at the recollection of their last proper conversation, her unforgiving and deliberately hurtful words when he had tried to apologise.

"Father, I..."

Anakin shook his head, his blue eyes gentle and full of love, and his own searing pain. "It's alright, Leia. There's nothing you have to be sorry about, nothing at all. It was all my doing."

"But..." He'd still come to save her, she wanted to say. Despite her harsh words, despite her hateful rejection, he'd still come for her.

"Look to the future, Leia. Look to all that you and Luke can achieve. I'm sorry that all I could leave you was the aftermath of the Sith, but I know that you'll forge a better galaxy. I have absolute confidence in you." Anakin smiled. "Remember, you're not alone, Leia. You have Luke, and Padmé's family on Naboo – they're good people, they're your family too. And you also have Solo."

There was still a part of her that was wanting. _I wish you could have stayed, father_, she thought, too choked up to say it out loud. They'd had so little time together, too much of it lost in hate.

With infinite care, a shimmering blue hand cupped her cheek. A single tear leaked from beneath her closed eyelids as she leaned into the cool caress.

Their reconciliation had Luke feeling as though someone was gently squeezing his heart and lungs. He looked away to take a deep breath, when his gaze fell on Han and Chewie who looked fit to burst from concern.

"Hey," he called, catching their attention. "It's all right." He thought about it, his father and sister finally making peace, and Han all but ready to wage war to protect Leia from her distress, and Luke's smiled broadened. Finally, for the first time since his father's death, the smile touched his eyes. "_We're_ all right."

* * *

With unwavering obstinacy born of both parents, Luke remained, first and foremost, a Jedi.

The task of establishing control over the fragmented remnants of Palpatine's government was a slow, painstaking enterprise. To effect the necessary constitutional amendments to strengthen the legislature and redistribute dictatorial authority was an even more colossal undertaking.

There was an endless stream of deliberations and discussions and meetings which were all preceded and concluded by their own briefings and debriefings, on more aspects of government than Luke had ever thought could exist – supervisory governing authorities and their effective applications, representative parliamentary bodies and a multitude of executive, legislative and judicial branches connecting them with regional administration, mediations with the old Ruling Council, military strategy briefings with the newly combined Galactic Security Forces, and all manner of intricate policies on economic, social, political and legal reforms.

The undertaking was beyond monumental and the entire operation required the involvement of representatives, ambassadors, former senators and countless other dignitaries from all systems of the galaxy, as well as thousands of officers, support staff and technical personnel.

Luke applied himself diligently but never could he have steered such an epic transformation by himself. He had never been more grateful for the constant presence of Leia and Mothma who were his anchors in the political arena, and Piett and Ackbar in the military. They were crucial in gathering together the numerous disorderly strands that made up the reins of power and directing them in a semblance of coordinated collaboration.

There had been a shift in perception amongst the galaxy's elites ever since the Royal Guard Insurgence. They no longer viewed Luke with derision or scorn when he remained quietly in the background as his associates took the lead. They eyed him with everything ranging from wary caution and dislike to admiration and deference, but never with ridicule. Respect was his due, whether keenly or begrudgingly given.

Through it all, Luke never for one moment lost sight of who he was.

To the galaxy he appeared to be endlessly calm and collected, the once familiar bearing of the old Jedi Order. But Leia, Han, Chewie, Mara, and possibly even Piett, recognised the eagerness with which Luke attended to the transformation occurring around them. Every one of them wondered, at one point or another, at what their own reactions would have been had they gained dominion over the entire galaxy. The path of restoring democracy would likely have been similar, but they knew of nobody who would have been quite so impatient to demote themselves from the seat of absolute authority.

Only Leia, having faced Palpatine with him, and Mara, from the admission he had made to her after the Royal Guard Insurgence, understood what truly drove his fervour.

The galaxy observed eagle-eyed as, piece after piece, fragments of power were delegated away from the Galactic Throne and transferred steadily into the foundations of a new galactic government. Month after month, for two years since he had boldly revealed Darth Vader to be their father and all but swore to restore democracy, they watched and waited, swaying between hope and denial, belief and doubt.

_He won't do it_, many thought. Right up until the moment when, two years after his inaugural address, Luke Skywalker addressed the galaxy again.

With little fuss and simply entrusting the just and democratic governance of the galaxy and all its citizens to the Galactic Alliance of Free People, he relinquished the throne and abolished the Empire. He concluded his short but dignified speech by renewing his vow to continue safeguarding peace and justice throughout his life.

He left the galaxy spellbound.

Blackened two decades past by Palpatine's defamation and persecution in his quest for domination, Luke exonerated the name of the Jedi once and for all. And it was no small matter to him that, through these actions, he also managed some small measure of redemption for the name of Anakin Skywalker.

* * *

The time had come.

The Force had waited on him. For days now it had been swirling, constantly in motion. Great change was upon them, its focal point the galactic capital of Coruscant. It whirled faster and with greater energy as he shed the title of Emperor and simply became a Jedi again, and still it waited.

Later that same day, Luke sent out his entreaty in the Force and slipped away from the Imperial Palace.

It was strangely quiet, a muted stillness devoid of the familiar hum of distant traffic and the subtle vibrations of a bustling ecumenopolis that one usually felt without registering it. Layers upon layers of dust had settled and hardened over the debris, casting everything in a grey-white light.

Luke knew that the Jedi Temple had once been an impressive building, a ziggurat with five towering spires visible over the Coruscant skyline. Now it was an empty tomb, deserted and lifeless, the once beautiful statues and columns and halls shattered and broken.

He waved an arm in a wide arc. Dust and debris rose away before him in a wide circle, revealing intricate patterns arranged along its edges, reaching in towards a smaller circle of the same design inverted against a dark red relief at its centre.

Luke sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

He breathed in the Force, effortlessly and powerfully gathering its warm rays, and stretched out his senses. He expanded within the atrium where he currently sat and beyond, wading through the anguish of the Purge committed by Darth Vader and a legion of stormtroopers. He searched beyond the faintest echo of haunting nightmares, immersing deeper into the Force, leaving behind any sense of the physical until, at length, there was only the coursing, radiant energy of life.

There, he connected with what he was looking for. Seeped into the ziggurat's very foundations was the vast and peaceful energy of the ancient Jedi Order.

Given time and effort, the Jedi Temple could be healed and rebuilt, both physically and in the Force. Retaining his connection at that rare depth of the Force that few could reach, Luke sank into a meditative trance to begin the first of many steps in the long healing process for the Temple's wounded spirit.

He was unaware of the time passing. At some point, Yoda's presence bloomed into existence nearby and merged with Luke's meditation. His father, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon also appeared, their presences luminous from being at one with the Force.

Others came, those of the living whose approach rippled distantly in the Force. A few were known to Luke but most were strangers, and he followed them only enough to assure himself of their peaceful intentions. One by one, the twelve living Jedi approached the Temple and slowly found their way to the same chamber. Not nearly so powerful as Luke but equal in their dedication, they also sank into meditation and joined their efforts.

They began as a dissonant group. Luke and Anakin were almost instantly in sync, and the other Force ghosts soon harmonised with them. The twelve other Jedi took longer to bring themselves into line with their greater energy, but as they strove and reached towards them, they too were caught up in the whirlwind of the Force.

They all wove together in their expanding network of healing, and the Force resonated. It swelled and flared, whirling further and deeper and higher and stronger, and greater still –

This was the moment the Force had waited for. Eager since the Chosen One and his son had together set the spark during the fighting on Geonosis and again on the Death Star, the Force now responded to the combined meditative efforts of seventeen Jedi, including some of the most powerful ever known, and awakened from its almost dormant state of the past twenty-two years.

The Force ignited. Luminescent and alive, it burst with unrestrained vibrancy. Almost like a sentient entity itself, it sang in its brilliance, its pure energy illuminating every atom and molecule and dark particle in the galaxy.

The Living Force blazed in all its glory, reborn into a new age.

Anyone with the slightest modicum of Force sensitivity would have felt it. Leia, Mara, and X2, those who Luke considered to be first of the new students, would certainly have felt the pulsing in their blood, the humming in their souls.

Joined in meditation within the purest depths of the Force as they were, there was no hiding for the Jedi. They could see each other as plain as day – haggard survivors of past failings and dark times, but with that all too precious spark of determination for a new beginning.

What was further evident was the alteration in the Force. Not only regenerated, but it was whole, the influence of darkness purged, its natural balance restored.

The prophesy of the Chosen One had been fulfilled.

It was this knowledge that allowed many of the living Jedi to find it in their hearts to release the past into the past.

With this forgiveness, they found their perception shifting. They had a glimpse of possibility, a future with a reformed Order, the Temple once again standing tall as the symbol of freedom and peace, the inclusion of families and loved ones a conspicuous difference.

With small increments, the Jedi gradually withdrew from their merged meditation and brought their awareness back to the physical world. Over the course of their meditation, the sun had set over the City, night had passed on, and they had rolled towards a new dawn. The leading edge of Coruscant's sun peered over the horizon, instantly brightening the ruins of the Temple.

The four shimmering forms of Yoda, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and his father sat to one side along the edge of the outer circle patterned into the floor. Scattered in the centre were twelve people, the old Jedi. Most were human, but there was also a Ho'Din with his head tresses faded to white and a Rorr'hn's with yellow skin and horns.

They were all seated facing him. It had been a request that he had sent out in the Force, not a summons, but here were the twelve Jedi who had been drawn to Coruscant by the Force's feverish stirring in recent days, gathered here in the ruins of the Jedi Temple at his signal. And he realised that they looked to him for direction.

They cared little that he was the newest member in the fraternity of Jedi Masters. Some of these Jedi might have specialised in certain areas of the Force and so excel in such matters by comparison, but the young Skywalker, with his father, had confronted and defeated Darth Sidious. It was the young Skywalker who had stopped twenty proton torpedoes in their path. It was the young Skywalker who had brought the scattered surviving Jedi together, upon whom they had placed their trust and emerged from long years of hiding. And it was the young Skywalker who had begun the healing of the Jedi Temple, whose vision they had seen. Never had they reached such a seamless union with the Force than during their combined meditation, led by the blinding beacons that were Luke, Anakin and Yoda. There was no question in the minds to whom they now looked.

There was one lingering point of reservation for Luke, concerning the seniority of the great Masters of old, the ones present with them as Force ghosts. Yoda addressed this without the question needing to be voiced.

"The birth of the New Jedi Order, this is. To the living, the new Jedi belong. Provide guidance, we will, but lead you, we will not."

For just a moment, Luke sought his father's gaze – bright pools of blue reflecting back at him full of abiding love and quiet pride.

"Unanimous, the vote is," Yoda declared. "The leadership of the New Jedi Order, on Grand Master Luke Skywalker I confer."


	25. Epilogue

**For family**

**Epilogue**

The Sullustan avoided the rush of journalists and media droids jostling with the barricade of stormtroopers. No matter how closely the two figures resembled the Jedi and the Princess, Den Dhur could feel it in the pale dewflaps of his face that they were only decoys. He remained in his concealed spot with a prime view of the mausoleum and continued to wait.

Despite the initial request for privacy by the then Emperor, Dhur had inadvertently discovered the identity of their mother. They had failed at first, all the journalists, investigators and bounty hunters who had scoured the galaxy from top to bottom. Finding one nameless woman in a galaxy of more than 100 quadrillion with only a vague timeframe in which she might have lived was nigh on impossible. Wherever she had married Anakin Skywalker, either the officiator was holding their silence or assumed names had been used, or both.

Five years on, a fluke encounter had changed everything. Dhur, while visiting his friend Jax Pavan who had joined the New Jedi Order, had chanced across Princess Organa and an unknown Senator visiting the Grand Master at the Temple. The two women had looked similar, in Dhur's eyes, but then so did a lot of the human race. Expecting nothing and already turning his mind to his next investigative project, he had managed to collect DNA samples from their refreshment glasses and run a comparison.

To this day, he had still not come to terms with his guilt for having reported on the discovery.

At the time, his excitement that they were the children of the revered Amidala had eclipsed his common sense, and Skywalker's request for privacy had clean escaped his mind. By the time the media vultures had circled in on the Naberrie family and Dhur had realised what he had done, it was too late.

The galaxy's point of view on the Jedi had changed following his abolition of the Empire, and this almost came as a signal. It was time to move on. Overnight, _Vader's children_ became _Amidala's children_.

The galaxy wondered at Skywalker's original omission, when the knowledge that they were born of such a venerated figure could have saved them a great deal of grief after the revelation that Vader was their father.

The Amidala name is a beacon of hope, their supporters said; they refused to use it as currency to buy favour. It was to protect Amidala's name from being tainted by Vader's, others said. Or still others believed it was simply to protect the family.

Whatever the reason, the journalists had continued circling on Naboo, eager for a glimpse of the celebrated twins when they visited Amidala's tomb and her family.

They had come a year later. The Naberrie family had withdrawn to an undisclosed location citing personal reasons – it was clearly to meet with the siblings. But Dhur knew that these two people escorted by stormtroopers were decoys. The media swarm would follow them from the mausoleum as they took a tour of Naboo, until it was revealed that they had been misled. He kept his large black eyes glued on the scene; his species' exceptional sense of direction aiding him in keeping track of all the journalists and ensuring that every single one of them had left. Dhur continued to hunch in his concealed spot, intent on his task.

At dusk hours later, a single nondescript speeder drew up outside of the mausoleum. Three cloaked figures alighted, followed by a scruffy-haired human with blasters holstered at his hips, a Wookiee with a bowcaster slung over his back, a short astromech droid and a golden protocol droid. They glanced around, and all three of the cloaked figures turned directly towards Dhur in his hiding place.

With his excellent low-light vision the Sullustan clearly saw the pairs of blue, brown and emerald eyes lock onto him, and he felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs. _You're safe_, Dhur wanted to say. _You're alone, I made sure of it for you. I'm sorry for all this_, he would have said, if he could have spoken.

Two of them looked away, but bright blue eyes held his gaze for a moment longer. There was a gentle feeling in his mind, a brief sense of understanding and forgiveness, and then it was gone. Dhur felt lighter in its wake, as though he had received the absolution that had been eluding him.

In all this time, even though their parentage had become public knowledge, Dhur had been glad that the details of Amidala and Skywalker's marriage still remained a mystery at least. Perhaps that very location was where the Naberrie family was waiting to meet Amidala's children. Wherever it was, it was Dhur's hope that it could remain a private sanctuary for these two, the one tipped to be the next Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance, and the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order that defended it.

Dhur kept vigil until the seven figures re-emerged from Amidala's private mausoleum and flew away.

* * *

"Old Master."

There was no sense of alarm at the appearance of the Force ghost; the Old Masters, as they had come to be known, were infrequent but accustomed sights within the halls of the Jedi Temple to those who could see them.

As irregular as their visits were, there was one event when this particular Old Master always appeared.

"You have done well to pass the five Trials, Padawan, but there is a sixth. The Trial of Experience."

Here, as always, a sense of surprise.

"This Trial is only undertaken by those who are ready to achieve their Knighthood. Those who are yet to pass their five Trials may not be strong enough to endure it. It may be discussed with your masters, but never with any others; do you understand?"

The Padawan now understood why there had never been a whisper of it, even in the tales of the recently Knighted. "I do."

"The Trial of Experience is a guided meditation, but unlike any you have had before. It is a walking vision, where you will journey through a series of ordeals. You will neither recall who you really are nor even that this is a vision, until the final step. This is you, this is the life you live, until the Trial is complete.

"You will know love as you have never known, suffer pain as you have never suffered, be consumed by despair as you have never been consumed. You will be tested to the limits of your humanity, beyond your most primal instincts. The purpose of this Trial is to earn a level of understanding that is not possible any other way, of the ability to overcome the Dark Side, and of the power of the Light Side of the Force. After the Trial, you will not be the same again.

"Are you ready to begin this greatest of Trials?"

The Padawan remained resolute in the face of the ominous warning. "I am."

With clear blue eyes the shimmering form regarded the student, feeling the weight of the memories he was about to relive yet again but not shirking from the task. This was the lesson of his past, his lesson to future generations.

He drew the Padawan into a meditative trance, guiding to such depths of the Force that was only possible for the most powerful of Jedi, until self-awareness was forgotten and there was only the Force and his voice.

"In the beginning, you were born a slave..."


End file.
